Collared
by GoingToNamek
Summary: The planet Vegetasei has never been destroyed and is still under Frieza's thumb. When a twenty-two year old Prince Vegeta flees the palace for a night of peace, what is he to discover but something that will change his life and the course of his planet forever? Yaoi and het in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Collared **

**A Dragon Ball Z Fanfiction by Shikatoki**

Chapter One:

The prince silently cursed the cold, biting wind as it whipped his hair into disarray. He was walking down one of the many streets of the Crown City, determined to go anywhere other than back to the castle tonight. It was the last straw.

Vegeta had had enough of his father's constant tirade about heirs. He didn't want a mate yet, and he would remain prime for many more years besides! Why was this such an issue? The king had been pestering him about having an heir since he was eighteen. He just couldn't take it anymore, he wanted out.

Forgoing his usual outfit for something warmer, Prince Vegeta flew out of his window in the dead of night. He wasn't going far, just out of the castle for a night or two. From the way he was dressed, he looked more like a rich traveller than the prince of the planet upon which they all stood. He liked it that way. His father couldn't track his whereabouts if no one knew who he was.

It was early on in the cold season, and it was likely to take hold soon. There wasn't any snow yet, but it was not far away. Vegeta breathed into his cupped, gloved hands, trying to work some more feeling into them. He could have used ki, but he wanted to keep his ki use to a bare minimum. It would be a dead giveaway as to his identity for anyone wearing a scouter. As it was, he had left his scouter behind, as it too would be a dead giveaway. He felt half-blind without it. Like everything was supposed to be tinted red and filled with numbers.

He sighed into his hands again, scanning the lamplit street for a place to stay the night. He was still in the better side of town. No matter how angry at his father he was, he would not stoop to going to the other side of Crown City. He, being dressed as a rich traveller, would be prime pickings in the thieving little hollows by the outskirts. Not that he would have much to fear from cutthroats. He was stronger by far than many of his subjects, and would have little to no trouble dealing with them. But he still was adamant about not blowing his cover. Plus, it was somewhat satisfying being right under his father's nose in the ten mile ring around the palace.

His eyes caught the smooth outline of a flourished sign on the other side of the street. It was too far away to read clearly, but he was certain he saw the word "inn". Whatever it was, he was too cold to keep looking. He would just have to sleep there. He could hear the faint sounds of activity from its general direction, as well as see light spilling into the street through the windows.

He crossed the expansive street, looking for more information on the sign as it slowly became more clear.

"Carved Crown Inn" He whispered under his breath, sticking his freezing hands under his arms to keep them warm. "It'll do."

Vegeta walked to the carved, dark, wooden door, listening to the faint sounds of conversation drifting from behind it. It sounded like several voices, so it was obviously still open. He huffed, pushing the door inward, and blinking furiously at the well lit interior.

He was greeted with the vision of two men sitting on either sides of a bar on the left wall. One looked to be the innkeeper. He was muscular looking, if a little round in places. His square jaw was framed by two long locks of greying, black hair, the rest of which was pulled into a ribbon at the base of his neck. He had a sort of odd smile on his face as he discussed in low voices with the man sitting across from him.

The presumed innkeeper kept fingering at something on the stained bar and flicking glances at the door off behind him.

He turned a little on his stool to look at the newcomer to his inn. He politely ended his conversation, picking up a small stack of something on the counter. His other patron departed up the painted, wooden stairs, a lecherous smirk plastered to his face. The man rose, walking over to where Vegeta stood framed in the doorway.

"A good evening to you, sir." He said, bowing slightly at the waist and extending his arm to the side, adding his tail to the gesture. "How may I assist you?"

The innkeeper straightened a little, looking the prince over from head to toe. His smile grew each time it passed over another piece of expensive clothing covering the lithe form before him.

"I need a room." Vegeta stated flatly, gloved hands resting comfortably in his pockets, and tail curled firmly around his waist.

"Of course, sir!" The innkeeper practically shouted his enthusiasm. "Just for the night, my lord?"

"Hn." Vegeta grunted. He was at first concerned at the man's choice to call him "my lord", but dropped it. He hadn't given a name, nor any indication of nobility. He was just being addressed as any rich young man would.

As if reading the prince's thoughts, the man then gestured over to the bar he had been sitting behind earlier.

"Let me just get your name and room keys, my lord." He ground out through his still hungry smile.

The door at which the innkeeper had been glancing slowly opened a few inches. Vegeta's attention caught on it, as well as the innkeeper's. The door swung forward the rest of the way, and a handsome young man walked through it. His skin was honey-tanned, especially across the tops of his broad, muscular shoulders. The boy had longish, shaggy, black hair that grew in wild spikes all about his head. His slightly sharp chin was currently being used to hold in place a log slipping from the large stack of firewood he was carrying.

"Close the door, boy!" The owner shouted, flicking his wrist at the handsome youth. "Don't let in all the cold!"

"Y-yes master Cchini." He replied back, terrified, long, brown tail curled protectively around his waist.

He gently swung his hips, clicking the door into place without upsetting his stack of firewood. The young man set down his armload, bowing to his master and Vegeta, before turning to leave out the same door again. Now with the stack of wood out of the way, the prince could see something else about his appearance. He was wearing a collar. A bronze collar.

Children born on Vegetasei were always tested for power. If a child was strong, they were kept on-planet and trained. If they were weak, they were sent to purge weak planets. But, in the rare case that a child was too weak for even purging- they were collared. The bronze collar was fitted to them at birth, even though few that weak survived to adulthood. Apparently, this boy had. Well, almost- he wasn't an adult yet.

"Wait, boy." Cchini shouted before his fingers had even closed around the knob.

"Yes, master?"

"You are needed in room fourteen. See to it."

"Yes, master." A low, dejected voice answered.

The youth turned, showing an emotionless face as he walked resolutely to the wooden staircase up which the other patron had left. He turned his head around, looking over his sculpted shoulder directly at Vegeta. The prince nodded his head slightly, as if to dismiss him. The young man stopped on the staircase, turned, and bowed deeply. Vegeta smiled approval at the gesture, making sure the boy had seen it.

"Mmm-hmm, right this way, my lord." The innkeeper stated, reminding Vegeta of his presence.

The prince sighed, following him to the bar as the boy scampered up the stairs behind his retreating back. He took out a large, brown leather book and opened it right near the end, scanning a column with his left hand while fishing in his pockets for a pen.

"Room thirty-three is open, my lord, but it is a smaller suite. It would be four silver a night." He looked at the prince from beneath his eyebrows, as if saying "_But you're much better than that_." he continued hurriedly. "But room forty-six is much bigger and nicer, for only six sil-"

"Just give me a room already." Vegeta stated, throwing a handful of half-silvers on the table. It was at least the equivalent of nine full marks.

The man's yellowish eyes widened, taking in the overpay chiming merrily against the dark, wooden counter. His square jaw worked, trying to fix itself into a convincing smile. He didn't succeed.

"Room fifty it is, my lord." He almost whispered, failing at disguising his obvious glee. "Please, follow me."

The prince followed behind him as they passed through the hallways and steadily up several staircases. He already was growing to dislike the man. He seemed too... He just couldn't put his finger on it. He was greedy, that was certain, but it was more than that. He just was the kind of man that one... _Merely does not like_.

They arrived at a landing upon which stood only one door, a brass number "50" adhered to its polished surface. The odd innkeeper handed the keys to Vegeta, adding another bow and mumble of "My lord." before leaving back down the stairs. Once out of earshot, the prince let out a relieved sigh.

"Finally" He breathed, turning the key to his new room.

Vegeta flipped on the light as he walked inside. The interior was worth what he had paid for it. Plush, red furniture set out comfortably took up the main room. There were two rooms branching off to either side. One, an elegant bath, the other, a rather expansive bedroom. The fireplace had a log set in it already, with several, long matches set beside. He stood and lit the fire, enjoying the simple warmth as it kindled to life, lighting the room yet further.

He sat on the red, silk bedspread, not even toeing off his boots as he flopped on to the warm duvet. It felt wonderful being free. He sighed. This room was nowhere nearly as nice as his own, but it was so very much better. His father wasn't here. Neither was his name, or his responsibility.

"Finally." Vegeta whispered under his breath. "Alone."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

Vegeta awoke earlier than he normally would have, according to the hazy light filtering through the slightly open curtains. He wondered for a second what had awakened him, searching about the room for possible answers. A quick glance down revealed that he had fallen asleep completely clothed, appearing wrinkled and disheveled in comparison to his usual crispness. The prince sighed. He would just have to buy something else to wear that day, and deal with his current state of dress in the meantime.

Suddenly, his head snapped up, alerting him to what had caused him to wake so early. His tail bristled as the sound of a sharp, snapping crack issued from somewhere outside. More alertly this time, the prince checked his senses. Yes, he could hear something else as well, but not clearly. He jumped from his bed, rushing to the window on the far wall of the sitting room. It gave a nice view of the Crown City stretched below, facing eastward so one could catch the sunrise.

He blinked at the sunlight stinging his tired eyes. More importantly, not only could he see Crown City, but he could also see a portion of the alleyway below. Now he was closer he could both see, hear, and smell better than in the other room.

Another loud crack, followed by weak whimpering, then shouting. He could smell it now. _Blood_. Thick, fresh, Saiyan.

Without thinking, Vegeta threw the window wide, propping a white boot on the sill and launching himself out into the sky above. Cold, winter air hit him like a club in his sleepy, warm state. It succeeded in waking him the rest of the way, though, as if the scent of blood wasn't enough.

He looked down at the alleyway below, now able to see much more than what was visible from the window. He hovered there, frozen at the sight before him.

The innkeeper, Cchini, was standing over a limp form, whip raised high above him. He was shouting something, though Vegeta was hard-pressed to know what it was in his shock. He fought through his haze, listening to Cchini's words.

"How dare you sleep in that room, you stupid, good-for-nothing whore!" He growled, landing another slash against the already bleeding and nearly unrecognizable form.

Only from the tufts of black hair and thick bronze collar was he able to tell who the man was venting his fury on. That young, handsome boy was lying face down, damn-near naked in a snow-covered alleyway, tinted crimson. His muscled back was covered in both welts and his own blood. Not only that, but he was also unconscious, unable to protect himself or even voice a complaint.

Cchini raised the whip again, ready to land yet another blow on the broken form. Vegeta descended upon the scene before he had a chance to strike again.

"Stop!" He shouted, sending a carefully aimed blast of ki at the whip. It spun out of the stunned innkeeper's hand, landing in a pile of snow behind the both of them. "What has this young man done to deserve this?" Vegeta cried, enraged.

The stone walls of the alcove rang with the cry, echoing it through the cold, morning air. The snow piled in the corners was dirty and old, colored red in spots from where the blood-soaked whip had landed.

"This is none of your business!" Cchini shouted right back, aiming a ki blast at the prince's chest.

"I'd think twice before trying to kill me!" Vegeta called, mockingly.

The owner seemed not to have heard him, leveling his palms at the short form, and loosing his ball of ki. Vegeta caught it effortlessly in his gloved hand, adding to the weak ball and causing it to grow at an alarming rate.

The prince delighted in seeing the cruel eyes widen in fear as he reached his arm out until his elbow locked. He turned it back at the muscled man without another word, watching it hit him with astounding force. The innkeeper crumpled to the snow covered ground, rendered unconscious and bleeding profusely from a cut to his head.

That taken care of, Vegeta ran to the barely breathing form of the boy still sprawled where he had first seen him. He had been whipped from the tops of his shoulders all the way down to his ankles, crisscrossed strokes oozing dark blood. His long tail seemed to be shattered, broken not once, but so many times it didn't even resemble a tail anymore.

Slowly but surely, the young man was bleeding and freezing to death. It seemed to be a fight between which could finish him first, blood loss or exposure.

A hospital would be far too slow, besides the fact that it would likely be a wait before they could get the boy in there. He hated to do it, but he had already given himself away by his blast of ki. Besides, it was closer and more advanced- not to mention mostly empty. He would take him to the medical unit of the palace.

Wincing slightly at the pain he knew this would cause the boy, Vegeta picked him up in both arms. Now that he was face-up, he could see too that he had been severely ki-burned on his chest and torso. Vegeta's blood boiled at the disgusting cruelty of it. There were all kinds of nasty scars covering his limp body, barely obscured by the shredded tatters of what used to be his tan-colored pants. Readjusting the young man in his arms, Vegeta took off to where he severely didn't want to go, but definitely needed to be.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:**

Vegeta was inwardly thanking every god he had ever heard of that the young man was still alive. Whoever the boy was, it was a wonder he hadn't died long before now, let alone just tonight. Now that he was touching him, even though he wasn't wearing a scouter, the prince knew his ki was dangerously low.

He flew as fast as he dared through the hazy, early morning air. It was still cold, but Vegeta had stripped off his jacket in favor of warming the unconscious form cradled in his arms. Blood was matting the richly woven materiel, but Vegeta didn't care. He had plenty more, and the boy surely needed it more than he.

Amazingly enough, Vegeta flew over the imposing iron gates without incident. No alarm was raised, no ki fired, no scouters beeping. The prince was understandably upset. What? Could anyone just fly over the palace gates unchallenged? Yes, this was good for the boy, since it meant not slowing down, but it was a terrifying breach of security! He could be an assassin, for gods sakes!

Without slowing, he entered the palace. He rushed down corridors- knocking aside some staff members in his haste. Luckily, there were few people about, it being the early hours of the morning.

He only slowed when he saw the medical wing looming into sight. He didn't really want to jostle the boy like he would in a run, and so instead opted to hover at the speed of a brisk walk towards the open doors. Once inside, he was greeted by a short Saiyan doctor in a lab coat.

"Get him in a tank." Vegeta ordered with more calm than he thought he possessed.

"O-of course, sire!" The medic practically shouted in his haste to do whatever the prince desired.

Before long, the limp form was taken from his arms and submerged in a regeneration chamber. His long, blackish-blue hair floated lazily in the thick, healing liquid. The lines on his brow lessened slightly as the medicine worked to numb his thousands of ghastly wounds.

"I want a detailed medical report about him while he's in there." The prince commanded.

"A medical report will take a few hours, sire... Would you like to clean u-"

"I'm fine." He stated, cutting the man off. "Get me the report as soon as you possibly can."

"Y-yes, sire."

Once finished giving his orders, Vegeta grabbed a metal chair from against a wall, dragging it to in front of the tank the boy was in. He felt calmer now. The boy was in a tank, he was healing, Vegeta was resting, and everything was slowly calming down.

He didn't know why he had reacted so strongly to the boy. It wasn't as though he'd never seen a slave punished before. He had, many times. But it was never to this extent. And worse, to do it to a boy with a _collar_. That collar just made it worse. It marked him as one who could not fight back. As a weakling. As something to be discarded. But, really, the boy was a marvel.

How could a thing so weak, be so... _Strong_? The boy, whoever he was, had likely been in service his entire life... Maybe fifteen years, tops. Some of those scars had looked old. The ki burns on his muscled chest had suggested he was burned long before coming to the inn. Now that he was in a tank, Vegeta could see the skin seemingly resealing itself. Wounds knit together, combining two halves of a ghastly scar on his stomach. It was a shame the tank could only heal new injuries.

Vegeta stared down at his hands, trying to get the broken image of the boy out of his head. It was to no avail, though, since he now saw that his typically white gloves were coated in drying blood. He scrunched his fingers, feeling the sticky, crunching sensation shifting down his whole glove. He looked at his front, too. It was also coated grotesquely in that wasted blood. No wonder that medic had asked if he has wished to clean up.

So deep were Vegeta's thoughts, that he didn't notice the long-haired guard striding up angrily behind him. Only when Raditz' hand clamped onto one of his blood-soaked shoulders did he notice his presence.

"Raditz."

"Vegeta! What the hell were you thinking?" His bodyguard asked furiously.

There were very few he permitted to call him by his first name. Typically, though, they would at least affix "Prince" before using it. Although, Raditz was a special case.

"About what?" He replied, plainly.

"About running out in the middle of the godsdamned night and coming back covered in blood!" The powerfully built bodyguard seemed beside himself.

"I didn't plan on coming back covered in blood." He glared.

Raditz crossed his arms, staring down his nose at the calmly seated prince. "You nearly got me killed."

Vegeta's facade of calm cracked, allowing a bit of worry to seep through. However angry at his father he was, Raditz was a trusted guard. He didn't want him hurt. "How?"

"I was in duty when you made your little escape attempt. When the king found out you had left, he almost killed me for not doing my job properly. Wait until he finds out you came back drenched in blood!"

"It's not my blood."

"You think that matters to him?" Raditz spat.

Vegeta sighed. "I guess not."

"Whose is it, anyway?" The guard asked, much more calmly.

"His." The prince stated, gesturing with a jerk of his head.

For the first time, Raditz looked up at the tank in front of which he was standing. The glass distorted the shape behind it, making him seem wavy and unrealistic. His hair floated murkily in the blue-tinted fluid, swaying and bobbing, though the boy remained motionless. "Who is he?"

"No clue."

"Could I please get more than three words out of you at a time?"

Vegeta glared. "I don't know who he is. I was staying in an inn about six miles away and found him being beaten to death in an alleyway by his owner."

The guard's eyebrows rose. "What?"

"I really need to repeat it?" Vegeta frowned.

"His owner?"

"Look at him, Raditz. He's wearing a collar. He was being ki-burned and whipped in a cold alleyway, damn-near naked. What the hell was I supposed to do? Even without scouter I could tell his power level was dangerous. When I questioned his owner, he shot a ball of ki at me. I shot the asshole back. I scooped the kid up, and flew here to get him in a tank. Better?" Vegeta growled.

Raditz' eyebrows rose even higher into his wild tangles of long hair. "How the hell do you manage to get yourself into these messes?"

Were it not for his intensely grating nerves, he might have laughed at that. Yes, the sleek prince had a talent of getting himself into trouble, but even this was new for him.

"Talent." The prince smirked.

Tirade at an end, Raditz reached for a chair to sit down next to his charge. He had already been reprimanded about not guarding properly, he wouldn't let it happen again. Vegeta's hand on his arm stopped him.

"I need you to do something for me."

Raditz looked at him questioningly "And that would be?"

"I need you and a couple other guards to go to The Carved Crown Inn. If the owner has woken up by now, arrest him. If he's still unconscious, arrest him. His name is Cchini I think, from what the boy called him. I want him in a cell and ready to talk to me once the kid's healed."

The guard sighed, watching Veget's intent gaze. "Alright. Who would you like to guard you in the meantime?"

"Take Nappa with you. I don't care who you send to guard me. Just get that innkeeper here."

Raditz glanced over at Vegeta's intense, expectant expression. He couldn't win this battle. "Yes, sire."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:**

Warm. He was very warm. Maybe he was freezing to death. No, he wasn't that cold. Maybe so much of him was numb from freezing that he couldn't feel it? Or... Maybe this is just what it felt like to die? Surprisingly enough, his back didn't hurt. It felt numb, just like the rest of him, but it didn't hurt. His chest felt better too. He tried to turn his head, fearing that he would discover his soul no longer in his body. However much he hated his life, he did _not_ want to die.

He noticed immediately that he could not move his head. Well, whatever that meant, he didn't know. He noticed then, that not everywhere felt numb. His mouth and nose both felt hot and itchy. He took a deep breath, and then exhaled. A rush of something that felt like bubbles exploded out of the thing on his face. He was beginning to panic, but the glorious lack of pain was making it hard to do. He didn't want to panic. He was warm, numb, unable to move, and not in pain. He just hoped he was not dead.

However warm he was at the moment, he felt a sudden rush of something colder. It started at the tips of his shaggy hair, and spread as something thick in texture began peeling its way off of his face. He still couldn't move, couldn't open his eyes, and couldn't speak from the thing covering his mouth and nose. But still, he tried not to panic.

The thick substance was draining away from him. It was slightly thicker than water in texture. Maybe it was blood? Who knew? No, there wouldn't be nearly this much blood. It continued draining until he could feel it sluff completely from his ankles, and a rush of winter air hit his stunned face.

He opened his eyes hesitantly, squinting them against not only the air, but the harsh light streaming in from a now open glass door. He felt relieved. He wasn't dead! He had no idea where he was, or how he was alive, but he _was_.

Opening his eyes more widely, he gazed around the insides of whatever strange chamber he was in. He was still wet, and he was now much colder due to the open door, but he felt better than he had in _years_. He began to carefully stretch his sculpted arms, watching the muscles reacting to commands they seemed unused to. They felt cramped, but entirely _revitalized. _

He smiled. He felt wonderful.

A shadow fell across him as he worked at testing his muscles. His smile faded slightly at the interruption of light. He looked up, taking in the sight of a middle aged man in a lab coat. Odd, he would have expected to see master Cchini.

"I see that you're awake." He stated, not unkindly, but not enthusiastically either.

The serious gaze swept his own, from the wet mat of hair, all the way down his completely naked body. He didn't mind much. This man wasn't the first to see him naked. He had overcome something as weak and ridiculous as shyness long ago.

He wasn't looking at the man's gaze anyway.

"Well, all I need to do is take a few samples..." The man began, bringing a hand out of on of his lab coat pockets.

His breath caught, eyes widening at the thing in the man's hand... Then, without warning, he screamed.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

He had specifically ordered the medic to wake him when the tank emptied. Vegeta rushed angrily to his feet, awoken by the sound of a terrified scream issuing from the chamber. He grabbed the doctor's shoulder, throwing him out of the way and stepping in front of him.

The poor boy was huddled in a corner, curled up in a ball, making tiny whimpering noises. His tail was coiled tightly around his waist, just like Vegeta's- although Vegeta's wasn't so tight it was cutting off circulation.

Hesitantly, he fell to his knees in the still damp tank. The prince reached a hand forward, carefully resting it on the terrified boy's shoulder. It tensed, muscles shifting at the touch, before relaxing. A dark, intense, young eye peered up at him from its protective ball.

"It's okay. We're not trying to hurt you." The prince whispered in his low voice. He uncoiled his tail from its place on his waist and gently ran it in soothing circles across the boy's sticky, bare back.

The young man unclasped his arms, letting his legs drop out of the protective ball. His tail loosened slightly, but not enough to uncoil from his waist. He stared at Vegeta, eyes wide. It looked like he was forcibly trying to make himself relax, but was having a difficult time. Suddenly, the young man spoke.

"I-I'm so-sorry. I-it's just... I'm a-afraid of n-needles." He shook.

"Shhh, it's okay. If they make you feel uncomfortable, we won't use them." Vegeta whispered, not ceasing in his gentle ministrations.

"I- w-well, thank you." The boy replied, terrified. "A-are you the one who healed me?"

The prince let a small smile touch the corners of his lips. "You could say that."

"So, am I t-to return to service with m-master Cchini?"

The prince frowned. He hadn't considered that. "No, I don't think so. I don't want you going back to a place where you were treated like that."

Without any further explanation, the boy uncoiled completely, letting go of what was left of his defensive position. His tail wound off his waist entirely, snaking its way around to curl over the prince's wrist. Wide, young, sincere eyes looked at him as if he were a god in the flesh. The boy seemed not to know what to do with his hands, and so clasped them in his lap before finally speaking.

"I am forever indebted to you, Master." He whispered, eyes never leaving Vegeta's. "I will serve you faithfully."

Vegeta stared. He hadn't even considered what would need to be done with the boy once he was healed. They couldn't send him back to where he was working before, not with the owner in custody, or out. He would be treated the same, if not worse. And Vegeta refused to sell him back into slavery. Maybe what the boy was suggesting was the best option... If he took the boy to be his personal servant, he would be in good hands. Not under a slave master, but under Vegeta's own care. Still, he was hesitant.

"I'm not your master..." He began.

The young eyes widened. "O-oh... You don't w-want me..."

"No, I just don't want you against you will." He whispered.

The tail around his wrist tightened. The boy seemed to be searching for the right word to say. He reached out his hand, almost touching one of Vegeta's, before letting it drop again. The prince reached forward, taking the hand in both of his, rubbing across the back of it with both of his gloved thumbs.

"I... I offer myself to you." He whispered, staring to the gentle progress Vegeta's thumbs traced. "If you will have me, I w-would be..."

He dropped his gaze, looking resolutely at the bottom of the shiny, wet healing chamber. He seemed to be fighting back tears of rejection. The boy _wanted_ to work for him. Vegeta lightly squeezed the hand in his.

"If that is what you wish, I will make it so."

He looked up, staring brightly into the prince's black gaze. He grinned hesitantly. "Yes. Thank you, Master."

"What's your name, boy? Or should I just call you that?"

He crinkled his nose with the hesitant smile that etched more firmly on his young, handsome features. "My name is Kakarrot, sire."

Vegeta froze. "How did you know to call me sire?" He asked, astonished.

"I-I knew from when I saw you in The Carved Crown."

"I never said my name or that I was the prince there either, Kakarrot." He wasn't angry, he was merely shocked. He hadn't given any indication of his nobility, so how had the boy known?

"I know, sire. I could tell that master Cchini didn't know. It just seemed... Right. The way you held yourself, the way you spoke, the way you walked. And when you smiled at my bow... It just... Fit."

Damn, was this boy observant. Nothing got past him. If it were not for the collar, and total lack of ki, he would have made an excellent and valuable bodyguard.

He shook his head as if to clear it, long upright spikes of deep brown swaying gently as he did so. He hated seeing that piece of metal affixed to that powerful neck.

"Master?" Kakarrot began, looking Vegeta up and down. "Is that my blood?"

Vegeta sighed, glad for an excuse to stop thinking about the boy's collar. "Yes, actually. Some of it might be Cchini's, though. We're taking him into custody."

Kakarrot smiled at that, and then looked a little worried. "I-is any of it yours, Master?"

"No, Kakarrot." He smirked.

The boy grinned. "Good."

Looking down at himself, he finally considered cleaning off. The boy needed to as well. If you didn't wash regeneration fluid off, it got sticky. "What do you say we get cleaned up?"

"That would be wonderful." The boy grinned.

Vegeta stood, helping Kakarrot up with the hand still resting in his own. He sprung to his feet, leaving his tail wrapped around Vegeta's wrist as they stepped from the insides of the tank.

"M-hmm, sire, I will still need a blood sample to complete the medical report," The doctor began, pulling the needle out again.

Kakarrot's tail tightened instinctively around Vegeta's wrist as he shrank behind him, trying to get away from the doctor.

"Stop." The prince ordered, gently running his fingers through the fur of the terrified boy's tail, calming him. "If you need a blood sample, get it from the coat he was wrapped in, or his pants, or me, for gods sakes! He doesn't like needles, and you're needlessly frightening him." He growled.

The doctor seemed shocked at Vegeta's protective attitude. "W-well, yes, of-of course, sire!" He stated, backing away.

That done with, Vegeta continued stroking the boy's long, brown tail. "Let's go get cleaned up, okay?"

"Alright, Master." Kakarrot sighed, relieved.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes:

Just a general warning: This chapter deals with the mention of rape. Not explicitly, but just a reminder that this story _is_ rated M for a reason.

**Chapter Five:**

Kakarrot purred contentedly, following behind his Master to the showers located at the back of the medical wing. He almost never had his tail away from his waist, it had been broken far too many times by both his previous master, and the inn's patrons. _No, I don't want to think about that. Not now. _He whispered in his mind. Kakarrot now redoubled his attention to the gentle stroking of his tail. He was glad his new Master was this man. He had been at first a little frightened by his presence in The Carved Crown. Kakarrot had been certain the prince had come because of him. Because of what he was forced to do. _No, I won't think about that. _He insisted, almost growling at himself.

He wasn't out of the woods yet. He didn't know if his new Master, Prince Vegeta, wished for him to serve in... That way. If he did, then Kakarrot would, more willingly than with any other. But it would be to repay a debt, not for any other reason. He hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Having noticed that the boy had stopped purring, Vegeta slowed, asking. "What are you thinking so hard about, Kakarrot?"

The boy considered. "My old life, Master."

"Do you wish to tell me about it? It sometimes helps to say what is bothering you."

"I..." He paused. "If you wish..."

Vegeta raised his eyebrow at the boy, beginning to again stroke the tail in his fingers. "I asked if _you _wished to tell me, Kakarrot. If you don't want to, then don't. Just don't stop purring. I like it when you purr." He smirked.

The boy obliged, a happy purr rumbling back to life in his chest at his Master's words. "Thank you, sire." He said, a hesitant smile tracing his young face.

They arrived at one of the many doors to the showering and cleaning chambers beyond. Vegeta reached forward with his unoccupied hand to open the door, sliding it wide to reveal a black, tiled room beyond. They stepped inside, flicking on the lights as they went, adding a glowing calmness to the changing room before the expansive shower stall.

The prince began to peel off the blood-soaked clothes, throwing them down a metal chute on the far wall of the changing room. He spoke as he stripped.

"Do you mind if I ask a few questions, though? If you don't want to answer one, you don't have to." He said, peeling off the once white, but now brown gloves.

"Sure." Kakarrot whispered, trying hard not to look at the powerful muscles his Master was slowly revealing. Finally, he turned away, staring at the opposite wall to give Vegeta his privacy.

"Kakarrot, I've seen you naked. I'm not shy either, you can turn around." Vegeta called, smirking.

"O-oh, okay." The boy said, a blush coloring his young cheeks.

"So, how old are you?" The prince began.

"Sixteen."

"Really?" Vegeta asked, eyebrows raised in surprise. "You barely look fifteen."

"W-well, I don't know for sure. That's just how old they told me I was."

"We'll know when the medical report is finished." Vegeta nodded, stripping off his boots. "How long had you been working at that inn?"

"Four years." He stated.

"And what did you do?" Vegeta asked, now completely undressed.

He walked over to the shower room, throwing the curtain wide and stepping in, the other in tow. His Master turned the water on to hot, stepping under the stream, his peak of pointed, dark brown hair flattening under the stream.

"I- m-manual labor... Mostly."

The prince noticed his hesitancy. "Am I making you uncomfortable?" He asked with concern, shaking water out of his eyes.

"I-it's not your fault, Master... Just brings up... Bad memories."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The boy was fidgeting. He was obviously afraid of revealing something. Vegeta didn't want to pry, but he did want to know some about this boy. He was uncomfortable, and it was Vegeta's fault. Kakarrot stepped into the shower room, letting the prince have the water for the time being.

"I'm sorry, Kakarrot..." He began, then noticed the boy's blush. Vegeta looked the boy up and down, only now noticing Kakarrot's posture.

The young man was doing his very best to avoid looking at Vegeta's body, now covered in a layer of water instead of blood. He was thinking hard again, from the look on his face. He was... _Scared_. Not of revealing something, but of... Him. Comprehension dawned on Vegeta's face as he suddenly understood Kakarrot's fear. _He thinks I'm going to rape him._

"Oh, no, Kakarrot," He rushed. "D-do you think I'm going to... Do something... Untoward?"

"It's not untoward if it is what you wish, Master." He whispered, eyes fixed upon the ground, obviously fighting back tears.

Vegeta stepped forward in front of the young man, grabbing his bare shoulders lightly in his now wet hands. Kakarrot flinched, but continued staring at the ground, avoiding the prince's eyes at all cost. A few of the tears had managed to spill past the dam of his eyelashes. Vegeta had now stepped out of the stream of water almost entirely, all that remained under its heated onslaught was his waist and tail.

"Kakarrot, please, look at me." He whispered, squeezing gently.

He looked up, two fresh tear tracks glittering from his wide, dark eyes.

"I would _never_ take you against your will." He whispered meaningfully. "I have a feeling this has happened to you before."

The boy broke, falling to his knees in the shower room with a sob, closing his arms around his own muscular waist. He was taller than Vegeta, by more than a slight margin, but that hardly seemed to matter as his head fell forward, tears dripping freely onto the wet, tiled floor.

"I-I'm so sorry, M-Master." He whispered. "You-you saved my life, and I treat you l-like you're one of tho-those horrible men!"

Kakarrot tightened his grip on his own naked waist, folding in half so his face was barely a foot from the ground, hiccuping apologies under his breath. The prince fell to his own knees before him, gently patting the strong, young back. He reached down and began stroking his wet tail, crooning softly.

"I-I'm so s-sorry."

"Shhh, it's my fault, Kakarrot." Vegeta whispered back, stroking the tail gently with one hand, the quivering back with the other. "I should have thought..."

"No, Master, it wa-wasn't your fault." Kakarrot mumbled, finally regaining his voice. He pulled his face away from the tiled floor, staring at him resolutely with slightly reddened eyes. "There are... There are things that happened back at inn. You did not do them, Master. I... I just wasn't certain how to react." He paused. "You are a noble man in more ways than one."

The prince actually blushed. "I am sorry for bringing back those memories, Kakarrot. If you would prefer, I could use another shower room." Vegeta whispered.

"No, n-no, I'm fine." He insisted, getting to his feet and circling around so he was now under the water, dragging Vegeta with him by the prince's grip on his tail. "Let's just get cleaned off. I feel... Sticky." He mumbled, closing and spreading his fingers. He gently wiped the tear-tracks from his face and turned, bathing his flushed face in the stream of hot water.

Vegeta chuckled, grabbing a bottle of soap. "That'll be the regeneration fluid. If you don't wash it off, it feels sticky and a little itchy. That's part of why they have showers in this section of the medical unit."

"So, that was a regeneration tank I was in?" He whispered, astonished.

"Well, yes. Nothing else would have healed those injuries, not without serious scarring, anyway. And your tail would have had to be amputated otherwise." Vegeta replied.

The boy gently slipped his tail out of the Prince's grasp to get a better look at it in the dim light from the previous room. "It was that bad?"

"Yes, it was. The doctors were almost certain you would die. Especially with how low your ki was."

"It's always like that." Kakarrot whispered, sagging a little under the hot stream of water.

Vegeta walked up behind him, pouring some soap onto his tanned, broad back. "I wasn't wearing a scouter, but it was damn-near zero." He stated, beginning to scrub the regeneration fluid off with a rag. "Surely it gets higher than that."

"Five."

"What?"

"Five. That's the highest I remember it ever getting. I asked my old masters once, back before I worked at the inn. I was a laborer on a farm, maybe ten or eleven years old. I asked one of the masters about my collar and why I had it." He sagged even further, grumbling under his breath. "He said it was because I was a weakling. I had it because I wasn't worth anything to anyone except for how hard I could work. A waste of space."

Other than Kakarrot's sagging shoulders, he seemed to be showing no outward signs of upset at such verbal abuse. His voice remained emotionless as he continued, grunting every once and a while as Vegeta's hands worked at scrubbing him clean.

"He checked the readings on his scouter and laughed at me. Said my ki was five. Most babies are born with more than that." Kakarrot sighed.

"You don't seem as outraged as you should be." Vegeta stated. His own blood was boiling at the outright verbal cruelty of whoever this man had been.

"I would be if it weren't true."

"He tried to make it sound like you had any choice in the matter! That is something you can't help, Kakarrot. You can't change the fact that you were born with low ki any more than you can change the fact that you were born with black hair." The prince whispered angrily. "You are _not_ a waste of space. You are my personal servant, aren't you? That is far from a nobody."

Standing behind him, Vegeta could not see his gentle smile, but could see his ears rise with it. "I know, Master. Sometimes I forget it, though. Thank you for reminding me." He turned around, rinsing his back on the cascade of water before facing the prince. "I think I'm just about clean now. It's your turn."

Kakarrot used his tail to grab the bottle of soap from the tiled floor, emptying a handful into his cupped palm. Vegeta smirked.

"But I didn't even wash your hair yet."

"I'm the personal servant here, Master. I guess you'll just have to get used to be waited on." Kakarrot joked, eyes twinkling.

He was almost a head taller than the prince, though much younger. The boy grinned, spreading the soap across the other's back. He scrubbed at the tanned, muscular shoulders, gently digging into the shoulder blades with his thumbs. A purr burst from Vegeta's chest at the impromptu massage as Kakarrot's nimble fingers glided through the crevices of his back and neck.

The prince let out a gentle moan of protest as the hands lifted. It felt good, he didn't want the boy to stop. That's when he felt the soap poured onto the top of his head. Those nimble fingers began gently kneading his scalp, scratching and rubbing spots he hadn't even known itched. The purr rumbled back to life as the muscles in his neck finally lost the battle, dropping his head back for Kakarrot to have better access. The boy was chuckling as he worked, letting out a giggle every time Vegeta made a particularly enraptured noise at his ministrations.

"Mmmm- What's so funny?" He mumbled, smirking a little as Kakarrot giggled again.

"You look like you're gonna fall asleep." The boy laughed, scratching right down the center of his widow's peak. The prince's eyes finally gave up and fluttered closed.

"That's because I am." He yawned.

Kakarrot's stomach chose that moment to let out a particularly loud rumble. "Before we've even had something to eat?"

The prince couldn't help it, he laughed. "Ha, alright, we can get something to eat. Then we'll go take a nap."

The prince peeked his eyes open just in time to see Kakarrot's tail wagging with glee. "Good, I haven't eaten anything all day."

Vegeta's eyebrows rose with the realization. "Hmm, neither have I." He hadn't realized it until then, but he was _starving. _

"Well, go rinse off while I wash my hair and let's get going!" Kakarrot chuckled, pouring yet more soap into his palm.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six:**

Vegeta walked down the hallway leading to his personal chambers, Kakarrot's brown tail gently held in his left hand.

~•~ Flashback ~•~

It was around late afternoon, and he was famished. Kakarrot had spent almost all day in the tank with the severity of his injuries. After they had both finished their shower, Vegeta had walked into the changing room outside to find two changes of clothes. One was a set of his royal armor. A black spandex outfit, a piece of shoulder plated armor, and a red cape to be buttoned on either side of the shoulders. A red scouter sat beside it, as well as a pair of white gloves and boots.

The other outfit was... Not really an outfit at all. It was a pair of black pants and a red sash the exact same color as Vegeta's cape. A black royal crest was embroidered on the corner of the red fabric, a red one on the black pants. That was all. No shoes, no scouter, no shirt even. _Slave's clothes._

Kakarrot seemed not to mind, grinning at him as he slipped on the pair of pants and tightly tied the sash.

"They should have sent something more suitable for you." Vegeta grumbled, pulling on the tight spandex.

Kakarrot frowned. "What's wrong with it?" He asked, gesturing with his hands at the supple materiel.

"Those are _slave_ clothes. You're not a slave."

He rose his eyebrows. "Then... What am I?"

Vegeta smirked. "My personal servant. That's very different. A slave belongs to everyone ranking higher than they. You belong to nobody, but serve me."

"Oh..." Kakarrot muttered, considering. "Then what _should_ I wear?"

"Whatever you damn-well please." The prince stated, pulling the armor over his head.

"Well..." The boy whispered, holding up Vegeta's cape and helping him button it into place. "I... I like this, Master."

Vegeta's eyebrows rose. "It's freezing outside, Kakarrot!"

"Well, yeah, good point." He mumbled. "But I like the colors. It looks like what you wear, and it has your crest on it. Besides, I don't think I could deal with that spandex stuff... It's too tight looking."

Vegeta chuckled. "I never said you had to wear armor, just something warmer. I'll look into getting you something more covering. You'll need boots, and possibly gloves too."

"Will they get to have your crest on them?" The boy smirked.

"If you wish."

"I do."

Vegeta smirked back. "Then they will."

~•~ End Flashback ~•~

He rounded the corner, gently stroking Kakarrot's tail in his gloved hand as his wing of he palace loomed into sight. The bodyguard Raditz had sent finally caught up with them outside the medical wing once they were both dressed. Chiva, It turned out had been standing out there the whole time, wishing to give the men their privacy. She had also been the one to request they be brought clothes, and set them in the changing room where he had discovered them.

Chiva was short, shorter than Vegeta. She had choppy, dark, red hair that fell to almost the small of her back, and a smile that reminded him a lot of Raditz. It would be just like him to send a bodyguard like this.

"Thank you for the clothes, Chiva." Kakarrot smiled, gesturing to the pair of boots and new shirt he was proudly sporting.

"No trouble, kid." She smirked, tossing a lock of her choppy hair over her shoulder with a flick of her head. "We can have the crest embroidered on the rest of 'em pretty soon. You'll just have to wear that one without it in the meantime."

"That's fine," Vegeta grunted, walking beside the bouncing, bubbly form of Kakarrot. He was ecstatic to have a wardrobe. He had never owned very much, but in just one day, he would soon own his own set if ten outfits. Vegeta couldn't help but smile. "You would've had them today if you weren't so insistent about the crest."

"But I like your crest, Master!" He grinned, lapsing into a purr at the calming effect of Vegeta's fingers stroking his tail. "I like to be warm too, though. That's why I didn't wait for this shirt have it."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

His Master ordered the guards aside with a flick of his wrist, not slowing as they strode purposefully into the prince's chambers. The impressive doors swung forward to admit them, their hinges silent as they were pushed aside by two muscular guards.

Inside was warm, the anteroom before the bedchambers and study had a fireplace, fire already roaring in it. Kakarrot basked in the comfortable atmosphere before his nose alerted him to something much more important.

"_Food._" He moaned, padding after the prince still holding his tail.

"I sent word to the kitchens while we got you the new shirt and boots at the seamstresses' quarters on the way." Chiva announced proudly, slapping the boy an the back good-naturedly.

Kakarrot's tail was a flurry of excited delight at the scents coming from the heavily laden table. He grinned at Vegeta, purring as he finally let go of the excited, furry appendage to let it wag happily through the air.

"Damn, Chiva." Vegeta whispered, eyes wide. "Is there anything you don't think of?"

"Raditz taught me well." She smirked, flipping another stubborn strand of hair over her shoulder. "I think I'll guard outside, if that's aright with you, sire. The team sent to The Carved Crown should be back soon."

"Alright then, dismissed." Vegeta agreed before turning to the table.

Kakarrot was standing, tail wagging wildly, behind a chair pulled out for the prince. He smiled, crinkling his young, handsome features, and bowing his head to look through his shaggy, black bangs.

"Master." He grinned, extending an arm to the offered seat.

Vegeta took it, grinning at the tail still wagging through the warm air. "I'm surprised you didn't pounce at the table the second we walked in here."

The boy's eyebrows rose. "I eat in here?" He asked, tail pausing in his shock.

"Of course you eat in here," The prince began. "Where else would you be eating?"

He scratched the back of his head, considering. "The slaves' quarters, I guess." He concluded.

It was the prince's turn to raise his eyebrows. "And why would you be going to the slaves' quarters if you are not a slave?"

Kakarrot stared at him a moment, before his tail began wagging again in earnest. "Heh, you seem to be needing to remind me of that an awful lot."

Vegeta smirked, cocking an arm to his right side, indicating a chair. "It seems I do."


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Notes:

More mention of rape in this chapter. Nothing graphic.

**Chapter Seven:**

Vegeta was certain Kakarrot had not been well fed at the inn. Back in the shower, he could have counted the boy's vertebra from ten feet away. He was strong, very strong. He looked even more impressive from the lack of any fat coating his muscles, but that didn't matter to the prince. He wanted Kakarrot fed. As if it was not enough that the boy had been verbally and physically abused, he was also malnourished. And the mounting toll of all three had somehow produced this... Entertaining young man.

He wasn't bitter. He didn't have an explosive temper, or an introverted personality. In fact, he was very playful, and often tested his boundaries. It was like Vegeta had given him permission to be a boy, instead of a slave. Something so basic as that never failed to make him smile. Kakarrot wasn't completely submissive, either, when you looked closely. It was more that he sought approval before doing things. That was a good attitude for a servant... But... Vegeta didn't really want the boy as a servant. He had really taken him so he would no longer be in that horrible situation. That wasn't to say Vegeta didn't like the boy- he did. Kakarrot had a way of smiling, wagging his tail, and completely disarming his counterpart. How anyone could have purposefully hurt a person like that...

It was the collar. The collar sent that message of worthlessness. It made people think the boy was not worth their time, just as Kakarrot's old master had said. Vegeta hated that collar. Hated it with a vengeance, almost as strongly as he hated the people who had hurt the boy. It was partially the collar's fault.

He mentally sighed, taking another bite of the dessert on his fork. The boy was rapidly outpacing him in food consumption. Once the prince had given him the okay, the boy had pounced, eating everything he could lay his fingers on. Vegeta grinned, watching the plates quickly empty before him. The smile gave way to a chuckle as he finally pushed his plates away, scraping his chair across the floor, continuing to watch the furry, brown tail swing lazily as the boy ate.

"You're finished, Master?" Kakarrot asked after a large gulp of water.

"Stuffed." He smirked, crossing his legs comfortably.

Realizing that the entire table was now only filled with empty dishes, the boy giggled. "I think I am too."

Kakarrot stood, scooping up the plates to stack them neatly in the center. The seemingly endless trays were now picked clean, only the barest crusts and bones remaining from the dinner. He refilled both his and Vegeta's glasses with water before turning back to his Master.

Vegeta was watching him. It was obvious the boy had done it many times before. Not unexpected, being as he worked in an inn. But something just didn't fit.

"Is that what you used to do at the inn, Kakarrot?" He asked.

The boy strode over to him, deciding to sit on the floor next to his chair. His brown tail curled lazily around the prince's leg as he considered the answer. "Well, yes, somewhat."

"Then..." Vegeta began, looking the boy up and down with confusion. "How did you manage to get so... Strong? I don't expect you would build much muscle from clearing tables."

The boy smiled, clasping his hands in his lap while looking up at Vegeta through the tufts of wild, black hair. "Well, I also chopped firewood. I would preform many different menial, manual tasks."

"I doubt you could even get so strong from chopping firewood, Kakarrot..."

He sighed. "Well, in between tasks, while master Cchini wasn't needing me, I would train." He let his eyes wander over the prince's handsome, stoic features, before returning them to his stare. "I would work out while I had the time. I knew I couldn't do anything about my ki-" He dropped his gaze. "So I used it as something to keep myself... Sane."

Vegeta jerked a little in surprise, eyebrows knitting together beneath his dark brown widow's peak.

"It was the one thing I could control, you know? I guess I worked so hard to become physically powerful to make up for the fact that I couldn't defend myself with such low power. I always kept it a secret, though. I don't think my master would have stopped me if he had found out. I suspect he knew, like you said, I wouldn't get that strong from clearing tables." He let his head drop. "But it didn't do me any good in the long run."

"Don't say that." The prince ordered, placing a hand on the boy's tousled spikes. He ran his fingers delicately through them, gently grooming them into yet more disarray. He continued, trying to take some of the sting off the harsh command. "It may not have helped you overthrow your captors, but it kept you sane. Your mind is whole because you were intelligent enough to find an escape, even if it was a temporary one." Vegeta spoke gently, running his nails through Kakarrot's scalp.

The boy leaned back against his leg, purring gently at his Master's soothing touch. He seemed to be considering something. The boy took a deep breath and began.

"There's something I didn't tell you at the medical wing." He whispered, head resting on Vegeta's knee.

"Is it something you wish me to know?" The prince asked, not ceasing his calming strokes.

"Not at first..." Kakarrot said, barely audible. "But now I do... And I want to apologize."

Vegeta looked down at him, but the boy refused to meet his gaze. "For what?"

"For thinking so badly of you." He said in a pained whisper, twisting the hem of his shirt in his fingers. "I-I was afraid you would be just like," He swallowed hard. "the others."

Vegeta remained silent, watching the boy twist his shirt into knots before smoothing them again.

"It was unfair of me to judge you upon your station. You didn't judge me because of my collar." He took a deep, drawing breath. It seemed he felt better to have said something.

"I know my reputation proceeds me, Kakarrot. I don't think any less of you for it." Vegeta smiled, patting the top of the boy's shaggy head.

"Th-there's more." He said softly, pulling his knees up to his chest and placing his chin on them, now fiddling the cuff of his pants instead of his shirt. "I didn't only work manual labor at The Carved Crown." He said, finally looking up into the prince's unflinching, dark eyes. "I... I think you know that."

Vegeta nodded. "I suspect so, from what you said earlier, but I still don't know to what extent."

Kakarrot nodded back, finally stopping the unrelenting twisting of his right pant cuff. "The first year I had worked for master Cchini," He breathed. "I was twelve years old. He had bought me from the farm I had worked at before. I was excited, an inn- a nice inn, would be far better than a farm." Kakarrot seemed to be fighting back tears. "It happened in the first month. Master Cchini was holding a stack of silver... He ordered me to go to room thirty-three." A tear fell. "I asked why and he backhanded me. I got up, and ran to the room... There... There were two men inside." More tears fell. The boy's throat stopped him from speaking any more, too constricted by emotion. "I-"

"_Hush_, Kakarrot," Vegeta cut in, gently cupping the boy's sharp chin. He wiped a tear away from his face as others plummeted to join it. It was all Vegeta could do to keep himself from crying with him. "You have said enough. I'm sorry..." He whispered. "_So_ sorry, that you had to go through that for four long years."

Kakarrot rose to his knees, turning to face his prince. He laid a hand gently over the one cupping his chin. "It wasn't your fault, Master."

Vegeta smiled sadly. "Neither was it yours." He brushed a tear from the side of that honey-tanned face, watching it melt into he weave of his glove. "You are so strong. You've been through so much." He sighed, cautiously pulling his hand away. "_Never_ blame yourself for what others have done to you."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

What had he done right? Why, after all life had dealt him, was he now saved? Why now? Why at all? This man, this glorious, handsome, _royal_, man had saved him from the worst cruelty he had ever faced. He had sat there, petting him, listening to him tell his short tale- and then stopped him from voicing what was too painful to be said aloud. It didn't matter, he understood. These were not just tears of sadness drying on his young, tanned face. They were hope, understanding, and joy. He had been with this man- his Master, for a few short hours, but he felt more connected to him than anyone else he had ever met.

He felt the capital letter in Master every time he spoke it. With Cchini, it was a term of enslavement. With Vegeta, it was a term of reverence. It was like saying savior, protector, ally, friend, _Master_. Kakarrot couldn't help but smile at him. Vegeta was what he had always wished for, but thought he could never have. The prince was a rare person, the kind you did not find often. He put on this stern facade to protect himself and his image... But he seemed to just let it drop when he and Kakarrot spoke. It made him feel special to know that he was permitted to see something so personal of his prince.

The boy smiled again, lapsing back into a purr as he sat back on his heels and turned to press his back against Vegeta's chair leg. He returned to his previous, more comfortable position, pressing the side of his face to his Master's knee. Vegeta resumed the gentle stroking of his scalp, running his fingers through his black tufts.

He felt himself slipping, lapsing into sleep, pulled down by the deep rumbling purr now radiating from Vegeta. His tail, still in place around the prince's leg, tightened slightly, and then relaxed as the boy drifted into a sound, warm, nap. He was more at peace than he could ever remember being in his life.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight:**

"Sire." Chiva announced, striding confidently into the room.

The hazy, comfortable atmosphere broke, causing the boy to stir from his nap. Vegeta inwardly cursed. He had been enjoying himself, just sitting, petting the top of Kakarrot's shaggy head. However, Chiva would not interrupt him for nothing, so he sat up straight to address her.

"Is there news?" The prince asked.

"Yes, sire." The short, female bodyguard nodded. "The whole team has made it back safely. It went fairly without incident, Raditz says, but he had a cut over his left eye. Nappa and Elry had no injuries."

"You have him, then?"

"Yes. He is in a cell in the lower dungeon. We're going to let his injuries heal naturally down there." She smirked.

"What sort of damage did he sustain?" Vegeta asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The painful kind."

Vegeta glanced down at the now slightly awakened Kakarrot, head still resting on his knee. The boy seemed to have a mix of emotions crossing his face. First, was shock. The next few, though, were harder to decipher. There was approval, laced with regret. There was triumph, mixed with disbelief. And there was finally an emotionless mask to sit over them all, giving the boy time to figure them out.

"Alright." He concluded, "Is there anything else?"

"Yes, Prince Vegeta. The king wishes to see you in the throne room within the hour."

"Excellent." He muttered darkly, standing slowly so that he did not jar Kakarrot sitting beside him. "Send word that I will be there soon."

"Of course." She replied, turning to leave the room now she was dismissed.

The door swung shut behind her, closing on silent hinges. Vegeta sighed, rubbing his temples with his right finger and thumb, leaving the rest of his hand to hang in front of his face. The crackling of the fire was interrupted by the sound of shifting clothing as Kakarrot stood up to remain by his side.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Master?" The boy asked, curling his tail around Vegeta's unoccupied, left wrist. "Am I to accompany you?"

The prince sighed, gently stroking the tail in his hand. "No, Kakarrot, I will need to face my father alone."

The boy nodded, a purr beginning to rumble from deep in his chest at the gentle strokes. "Alright, Master." He mumbled sleepily.

"You look tired." Vegeta pointed off to the bedchamber branching off from the main room. "Why don't you go take a nap while I speak with the king? I'll be back before you know it."

"Are you sure?" Kakarrot asked, lazily rubbing an eye with the back of his hand.

"I'm sure." The prince chuckled, grabbing the boy's broad shoulders and facing him gently towards the bedroom. "I'll be back in a few hours. Go sleep."

Kakarrot nodded again, seeming too exhausted to object to much of anything an the moment. "Alright then, Master." He yawned, stretching and walking towards the room.

The boy occupied, the smile once again melted from his handsome face. He did _not_ want to face his father. Vegeta strode away from the table, once again kneading his brow with his right hand as he approached the door. Chiva was standing at attention beside it, speaking lazily to Elry, who had just shown up.

Elry was a tall, sleek, dark woman, with short brown hair. Her skin tone was deeper, just enough to make a noticeable difference between hers and the short woman standing beside her. She was dressed similarly to Chiva in her shoulder plated armor, but her bodysuit was longer, going all the way to her ankles, as opposed to stopping just before the knees like her counterpart's. Vegeta didn't know either woman very well, as he was usually guarded by Nappa or Raditz, who were both elsewhere. He had seen her at a distance before, and knew her by sight, but she was more of a soldier than a bodyguard like Chiva. He wished to leave someone behind to keep an eye on his rooms, but the two guards usually at attention beside his doors had gone off for some reason.

"Chiva, Elry," Vegeta began, looking them each up and down.

Elry raised her eyebrows a little, apparently surprised that the prince knew her name.

"Where are the guards?"

"They went off when I arrived, sire." Elry stated, crossing her arms over her ample chest. "Apparently they thought us capable of handling it."

The prince narrowed his eyes at her, crossing his arms over his own chest. "I am not suggesting you are not fit, but I want to have a guard here to watch over my rooms. I need both of you to follow me. You," He nodded in the tall woman's direction "have seen what it was like in The Carved Crown first hand. And you," He nodded this time in Chiva's direction. "have seen some of the extent of Kakarrot's mistreatment. I will need both of you to be present and give reports on what you have observed to the king."

Chiva pressed a button on the side of her scouter, opening up communication between frequencies. "I need two guards sent immediately to Prince Vegeta's chambers." She announced into the device. A few numbers flashed against the blue shield before they faded back. "They will be along shortly." She stated, shaking her choppy, dark red hair over her shoulder.

"Good." Vegeta turned towards the hall, gesturing for both women to follow him.

He knew he would have to face his father sooner or later, but that did not make it any easier to do. He had brought Chiva and Elry to help explain the situation at the inn. Neither of them knew as much as Raditz, but that was a hidden blessing. He wasn't sure how much he wished to tell the king, so two mostly uninformed bodyguards would serve him well if he needed to lie.

Steeling his nerve, Vegeta approached the doors to the throne room, watching them being swung wide. He wasn't going because he had been summoned, but because there was a life on the line if he didn't. He could do this- for Raditz. _Let's hope this works._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot awoke and stretched luxuriously against the silky, red carpet next to his Master's bed. He doubted he had ever gotten so much sleep in his life.

It felt like at least an hour had passed, but Vegeta was still not back. That was to be expected, though, as his Master had said it would be a few hours. Kakarrot hoped all was going well in the throne room. Vegeta had seemed upset as he had left, pushing him to go take a nap so Kakarrot would not miss him. The boy rubbed his eyes with the palms of his rough hands, wiping away the sleep to begin his routine.

If Vegeta would not be back for a few hours, he would use this time to train. He smiled, cracking his knuckles as he stood to begin stretching. His cramped back relaxed easily into the stretch, his muscles adjusting to a new form. He worked his arms slowly, circling them outward to loosen them from their sleepy tightness.

That healing chamber had done a number on him. It was almost disorienting to not feel the crack of scabs opening as he shifted his back. Not feeling the pull of traumatized muscle as he fought to preform some new maneuver. He couldn't really recall the last time he had _not_ been in pain, somehow. It was wonderful.

Suddenly, a thought caught him off guard. _Why was he training? _A good question, all things considered. His Master had made it clear that he was not there to fulfill the same sort of position he had just left. He wasn't there to be abused, or to be a whore... Just a servant. Being a servant was not wearing on one's sanity... In fact, he was certain Vegeta was the kindest Master he had or would ever serve under. So, why was he exercising?

What was the purpose of doing so, if not to free himself. He was already free! Kakarrot puzzled, crossing his arms as he considered.

He kept asking himself why, but, why not? Vegeta would not be angry with him for training. And he had become not only accustomed to training every day, but was extremely fond of the practice. He liked the feeling of blood rushing through pumped muscles, of a rough, callused hand pressing him up in one-armed pushups, and the other tangled around sash at the back of his waist. He liked the feeling just after a work out, when exhaustion settled in, and the ache of working his body had still yet to set in.

He wanted to do that now. Not for the reasons he had used at the inn, but just because he could. Kakarrot grinned, cracking his knuckles. _Sounds like a good enough reason to me!_

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Vegeta arrived back at his rooms, positively fuming. The talk with his father had both gone horribly wrong, and much better than expected. King Vejiita had berated him about the selfishness of leaving the way he did. About how he could never be a proper ruler until he faced the proper responsibility. About everything, and nothing, just as he always did. But then, his father had sent him a devastating blow, aiming and making its mark directly over his pride. He clenched his fists as he recalled one moment in particular. That final, irrevocable remark that had shattered him.

~•~ Flashback ~•~

Vegeta came to a stop outside the throne room, arms still crossed over his armored chest. The two guards standing at attention beside the large, ornate doors bowed to him slightly from the waist and moved to push the doors wide.

Inside the large, stone room sat two thrones, one slightly smaller than the other. The larger of the two was occupied by a scowling figure with one leg crossed over the other knee. He had longish, dark brown hair that peaked up in the middle like a flame. The same color was repeated in a ring of facial hair on his none-too-happy face. The king. His father.

Vegeta strode into the room, Chiva and Elry following respectfully behind. He stopped, half way to the the throne on the red carpet that passed in a straight line through the middle of the expansive chamber. Once there, he bowed, dropping to one knee until he heard a deep voice echoing before him.

"Rise, Vegeta." The king growled, glowering down at his son and two bowing guards.

The prince complied, matching the intense glower with one of his own. He stood proudly, shoulders thrown back in the center of the throne room, awaiting the explosion.

"Is what I have heard true?" King Vejiita asked in a deadly whisper.

The prince growled. "I don't know, father. I don't know what you have heard."

The effect was immediate.

The king rushed angrily to his feet, fists at his sides. "Your worthless bodyguard let you run out in the middle of the night, I should have killed him for that! You came back with blood all over you! You didn't alert me to the faulty security at the gate, which had to be doubled so you won't leave again!" His father was seething, pacing back and forth before the throne, gesturing wildly with his closed fists. "You come back and act as if nothing has happened, as though your little adventure was just a thrill ride! You stand there, being an obstinate child, throwing tantrums and leaving over the one thing I ask for!"

"And what do you ask for?" The prince asked, just as angrily.

"_**Heirs**__!_" King Vejiita roared, stomping to the center of the room and stopping just inches from his son.

"And why is this such an issue?" Vegeta shouted, fists at his sides. "I will remain prime for _twenty more years_! Why is it now that you must have an heir?"

"What if you had gotten yourself **killed**? What then, Vegeta? How then would there be an heir?" The king screamed, face inched from his son's. "We need another royal to take over once I'm dead, once _you're_ dead! Vegetasei _needs another king_!"

The prince glared daggers at his father, replying in a dangerous growl. "Why?" He whispered. "I suppose I'm just not good enough for you."

The king smirked, crossing his arms across his broad, powerful chest. "Finally, you seem to have caught on." His eyes narrowed. "You will never be good enough to become king."

Vegeta wanted to punch him. To throw something at that damn, stupid, cocky, arrogant face. To shatter it into a thousand, tiny pieces. _But_... A part of him nagged at the back of his mind. _What if he's right?_

Vegeta stared. It made sense. It all made sense now. His father had not been angry at Raditz because he had been concerned for Vegeta as a person. He had been concerned for Vegeta's ability to produce children. If the prince had died, that would mean the end of the Saiyan Royal line. His father could not produce any longer, due to an injury he had sustained in a battle several years back. Few knew this but the prince, and a few trusted advisors. He had been surprised when Raditz said the king had nearly killed him, but now it made perfect sense.

~•~ End Flashback ~•~

That had been the missing piece. His father didn't care about him. No, to the king, Vegeta was just breeding stock to continue a meaningless bloodline. Maybe the king believed that he could raise those children to be fitter rulers of the planet. Who knew? But still, something had broken in him today. Today, he finally understood something he had been refusing to comprehend for most of his life.

His father did not love him. And he never would.

That should not have come as a shock, really. Apart from during court, how often did he really see the king? In all his twenty-two years of life, how many full days had he spent in King Vejiita's company? But still... He felt so weak. His father hadn't hit just a nerve, but slashed his wrists in attacking his pride. He would _never_ be good enough to be king.

His head spun, throwing him off balance as he tried to comprehend how he had been tricking himself until now. His chest ached, and his back tensed as he fought back the tirade of emotion that he had been locking away for far too long.

He was a weakling, and this only served to prove it. The first salty, weak track slid down the side of his flushed cheek, colored with both rage and upset. He forced the noise to the back of his throat, as if crying wasn't weak enough, now his body rebelled against him, wanting him to slip free those traitorous noises. Steeling himself, he forced them down, trying unsuccessfully to lock them away. Without restraint, the tears poured forth.

They were quiet, gentle, harsh, real, and extremely unwelcome. He hated his weakness even as it continued to spill painstakingly from his dark brown lashes. He ached all over, body feeling terribly tired all of a sudden. He hastily pulled off his chest plate and cape, letting them fall to the ground with an empty thunk. He was now in just his black covering, and white boots and gloves. Another tear traced its way down his face, the tenth to escape his wall of pent up emotion. The dam was breaking, and he couldn't make it stop. He hated it, hated all of it. And then, when he felt like he could gain control over his raging emotions, he heard a gentle voice from behind him.

"_Shh._" It cooed, the sound of bare feet slapping the stone floor followed the gentle sound.

Two big, warm hands were placed on his shoulders. He went to pull away from them, to prove to their owner, as well as himself that he was in control. No, he was strong, he didn't need comfort. Who was Kakarrot to think the Prince of Vegetasei needed to be coddled? They moved, massaging the rock-hard, tense knots. He tried again to pull away, but it was less insistently this time. He felt another tear slide obstinately down his face, glad it was turned away from the boy. After a few tense minutes of his shoulders being rubbed, the voice continued.

"He hurt you, Master." It was not a question. Vegeta could barely detect the note in his voice. It was stated gently, for his benefit, but with the tiniest hint of venom laced beneath.

The prince let his head drop, staring at the stone floor as Kakarrot continued the much-needed massage. He sighed, turning his head a little to look to his right instead of straight below him. He growled softly. "I don't want to talk about it."

The prince bit into his lip as another tear plummeted. No, he was being a fool, a weak fool. But... Did it really even matter? His pride was already torn asunder, what more would this do? He growled to himself, hating each salty bead flowing from the corners of his dark eyes.

"You must think me weak."

The fingers dug deeply into warm muscle, kneading out the tension so pent up within him. It felt good, the tanned, well-worked hands unknotted things he hadn't even known needed fixing. He was so pent up, so sad, so upset. He wanted to lock these feelings away, force the back, deal with them later... Or maybe never at all. Kakarrot, it seemed, was trying to hold something back, but for some reason could not. He felt a tiny spot of water land on his stiff neck. Vegeta stopped in surprise.

"How...?" The boy began, brushing his finger over the tiny tear he had loosed. "How could I ever believe you weak?"

Vegeta turned a little, staring with wet eyes into what looked like a mirror of his own. He couldn't speak, couldn't breathe past the lump in his throat. Those beautiful, pleading eyes gazed into him with the sort of intensity that causes an almost physical ache. The prince felt worthless, beaten, used... Alone. Could it be that the boy merely... Understood?

Kakarrot, without even saying another word, turned the prince around sideways, releasing his grip on both shoulders. He looked him up and down, from flushed, tear stained cheeks, to royal white boots. He sighed deeply, placing a hand on the front of his right shoulder. He didn't move, just stared into that wet, honest gaze. Then, without warning, two strong arms enveloped him in a crushing, needy embrace.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine:**

He couldn't help himself. He didn't want for Vegeta to feel uncomfortable, but he wished with everything he had that he could make the prince feel better. His powerful arms encircled the lithe waist, his head falling onto his Master's neck.

First, the prince tensed, so violently he heard his neck crack loudly as he did so. His previously soothed muscles reared up at the intrusion Kakarrot's arms had caused in his world of control. He didn't let go, though. He knew he may die for this, but didn't care, just held him. He stood there, Vegeta standing stiffly in his arms until he felt another shiny tear land onto the top of his head. He stroked the powerful, sleek back. He was taller than the prince, and so had to reach his neck forward to place his chin over his Master's shoulder blade. Now he knew, he had gone too far in testing his boundaries. His muscles tensed as he went to withdraw, to leave the prince to his brooding thoughts. Then, suddenly, he broke.

The prince gave in, crushing Kakarrot back in the welcoming embrace. He was at first shocked by the sudden change of heart, but did not hesitate to cling back to him as Vegeta cried into his shoulder. Kakarrot felt like a stuffed toy, his purpose only to coo and give comfort, to hold and be held, to just be _there_. He did not mind this role, but wished it was unnecessary. Not because he didn't want to hold Vegeta, but because he hated that the king had crushed him so much that he would be driven into the first set of willing arms he had had since he was a child, if ever.

Vegeta held tightly to him, resting his forehead on Kakarrot's bulky shoulder. He wasn't crying loudly, just watching the tears fall and melt into the supple weave of his and Kakarrot's clothes. His shaking had subsided, and now he seemed to be able to finally gain some control over himself, though the tears still remained.

Kakarrot did not release him, only stayed there, whispering softly under his breath. He wasn't sure what he was saying, or if Vegeta even heard him, but it seemed to be having the desired effect. He wanted Vegeta to pull away when he was ready, not to withdraw his offered arms when he thought enough time had passed. His Master needed this, and Kakarrot was more than willing to give it to him.

He wanted to stroke the long, sleek, brown tail that curled up behind his Master. He knew how relaxing it was to have someone stroke their tail, as the prince had often done so with him. It was not his place to touch a royal's tail, though. Wasn't it odd, that he would find himself unworthy to touch Vegeta's tail, but not to hold him in his arms? As if reading Kakarrot's thoughts, the dark appendage slipped around one of the arms holding Vegeta to him. It curled and snaked its way up around him, brushing its furry presence and twining itself firmly around his large forearm.

"_Shhh_." He cooed again, moving the unrestrained arm in a soothing circle around Vegeta's relaxing back.

The other arm, held by the tail, was being gently stroked in return. The furry appendage brushed up and down, saying things that Vegeta could not. He continued his gentle cooing as he felt the tears slow, and finally finish dropping. The head, dark brown hair peaked up beside his neck, finally withdrew. Dark, red-rimmed eyes stared at him. The stroke of his hand on Vegeta's back never slowed, nor did the gentle workings of the prince's tail. All was still as they gazed into each others eyes, giving and receiving comfort. This man knew more about him than anyone. This gentle, steely, strong, fearsome, prince was a rock and anchor that he desperately needed. Now that he had found him, he didn't know if he could live without it. A calm, protective, reassuring force burgeoned through Vegeta, drawing Kakarrot to him. Even if he was just a servant, as his cold collar reminded him in its harsh abruptness and reality... He would never tire of being Vegeta's comforter.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

He stared in wonder at the boy before him. He couldn't remember the last time someone had hugged him, his father surely never had. He was aware of the fact that this was possibly the first time he had ever cried in front of someone. He felt less alone, less afraid, less broken than when he had left the throne room. His pride was mending.

Those arms secured and comforted him. They didn't let him get away with bottling his emotions, but forced them to pour free in their inviting environment. He felt the upset leaving with his tears, as though they were a poison being drawn out of him through the salty beads in his dark and puffy eyes. He felt not weak, but stronger- in letting them go. He was relinquishing the control bottling them would have forced onto him. He was free of that horrible, long-lived delusion for the first time in his life. And he was strong. He no longer felt foolish, and most certainly not weak! In his audacity and daring, Kakarrot had made him show his upset, and so had reconstructed what was left of his self-respect.

The gentle, un-intrusive grip around his sleek back and waist made him feel safe, understood, comforted. Suddenly, he wanted to return that comfort. His arms, clutching to the strong muscles of the boy's broad back, only held tighter. His tail, long and sleek behind him, sought instinctively what he could not force his hands to do. It curled around Kakarrot's wrist, and then twined up the entire length of his forearm. The other hand, not being held by Vegeta's questing tail, ran gentle circles across his back.

He felt the tears stop. Not because he was holding them back, but because they were no longer necessary. He raised his head from its place on Kakarrot's shoulder and neck, staring squarely into his also wet and drying eyes. This boy knew more about him now than anyone else ever had. And... Vegeta didn't mind. This boy, _Kakarrot_, was more of a comfort and marvel than anyone he had ever met. He was so _brave_, so daring, and so kind.

His gaze bore into Kakarrot's, his glittering onyx searching the deep, deep brown of the other's eyes. That brown was so subtle that he was surprised he could even notice it. It was like his hair, dark enough to be assumed black, but not. That gentle iris, surrounding a dark, endless pupil studied him as intently as he studied it. He felt whole again in that gaze. With a final, deep breath, he knew: It was safe to let go.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The arms, previously clutching at his back with bruising force, loosened and finally, slowly, let go. Kakarrot breathed a sigh of relief at that, seeing the calmness settle pleasingly over his prince. Vegeta looked tired, emotionally drained, and down-right exhausted, but it was all worth it to not see him upset. Slowly, it melted a little. That royal, no-nonsense facade slipped back into place, but Kakarrot didn't mind. He knew the prince felt better, and understood his need to get back down to business. He was reconstructing what was left of his pride, reaffirming things that must have seemed foggy since he left the throne room. Kakarrot couldn't help but smile at his Master.

The sleek, brown tail was still clasped around his forearm, tickling his bicep with the tip. The boy didn't dare touch it, but he still enjoyed it being there. Vegeta smiled.

"Thank you, Kakarrot." He whispered, tilting his head down to look at him from beneath his eyebrows.

"It was my pleasure, Master." Kakarrot smiled, purring at the sensation of fur still bristling up and down his arm. "You look tired."

Vegeta nodded. His eyes were still puffy, but the tears were now entirely gone. "I am, but I've called Raditz in here to speak with me." He motioned, pulling Kakarrot behind him with his tail. His Master strode over to one of the comfortable leather sofas, plopping down upon it, Kakarrot sitting on the floor beside. "He should be here soon."

"Master?" He asked questioningly.

Vegeta grunted.

"Who is Raditz? This is the third time I've heard their name mentioned."

Vegeta smiled, resting a hand comfortably on the black spikes of Kakarrot's head. "Raditz is a trusted bodyguard of mine. He has been for a while. He went with Nappa and Elry to the inn to arrest Cchini. While in the throne room today, I had to lie about some things, so I need him here to help me coordinate out stories."

"Why did you need to lie?" He asked, concerned.

The prince sighed. "My father almost killed him for not catching me before I ran away. I escaped when Raditz was guarding me, so the king blamed him for my disappearance. I lied about when and why I left to make it seem less like he was to blame."

Kakarrot purred, soothed by the gentle, rumbling nature Vegeta's voice had now taken on. His tail twined around Vegeta's calf as he smiled to himself at the prince's words. "That was rather kind of you."

Vegeta's tail around his arm tightened slightly as he continued. "It wasn't kind, it was necessary." He smirked, but Kakarrot understood what he meant.

Vegeta felt a great amount of responsibility towards his guards, staff, and other followers. That engendered a great amount of loyalty, obviously. This Raditz had nearly died at the king's hand, yet he did not hesitate to follow the prince's orders to arrest master Cchini. Kakarrot knew he would do the same if he was able. Vegeta was a natural ruler, he would be a celebrated king.

Suddenly, Kakarrot's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Raditz smirked at Elry guarding the door to Vegeta's chambers. The other two guards were flanked at either side if the main wing, but Elry, it seemed, believed they needed some help. She grinned back at him, crossing her sleek, powerful arms across her chest as she spoke.

"Afternoon, Raditz. How's the eyebrow holding on?"

He glared at her playfully. "Just fine, thank you. It was a tiny cut."

"That needed six stitches." She grinned.

He just rolled his eyes. "I'm here upon request. The prince would like to see me."

She raised a dark brown eyebrow at him. "Really?"

"Yes, really." He sighed, tiring of the game.

Noting his tone, she stepped aside, smirking coolly at him. "Well, better get your ass in there then."

He laughed, clapping her on the shoulder as he stepped forward, ready to knock on the impressive door. "Have fun, El."

She growled. "I hate it when you and Chiva insist upon calling me that."

"Where is Chiva anyway? I thought she'd be here with you."

"Nope, off doin' something. I suggest you make this quick and catch up with her."

He quirked a frown. "Why?"

She grinned like a cat with the canary. "No reason. Now get your ass in there!" She laughed, knocking for him when he dropped the forgotten fist he had readied to grab the brass handle.

A muffled "Come in." issued from the chamber behind the door in the form of Vegeta's voice. Knowing he would get no more answers out of Elry, he squared his shoulders and walked into the prince's private rooms.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Raditz stepped into the room, a bandage covering part of his left eyebrow. Chiva had said as much, but it looked as though it was worse than he had imagined.

"How's the cut?" Vegeta asked.

The long-haired bodyguard sighed, rolling his eyes at the concern hidden beneath the prince's question. "Just fine, sire. That was the only thing harmed... Other than the slave master."

The prince chuckled at that, glancing down at the gently purring boy as he spoke "Raditz, this is my personal servant, Kakarrot. He was the one you saw in the tank this morning. Kakarrot, this is my bodyguard, Raditz."

Vegeta noticed immediately how Raditz' dark eyes widened as he took in the boy sitting contentedly by the prince's leg. Kakarrot glanced up, sleepily, apparently surveying the powerfully built man's appearance.

"Pleased to meet you, Raditz." The boy stated, leaning his head against Vegeta's knee.

"I-I'm glad to see you well, K-Kakarrot." The guard stammered. He swallowed hard, running the fingers of one big hand through his long tresses of black hair.

"So... You arrested master Cchini?" The boy asked.

"Well, yes... Um... Me and two others."

Vegeta rose his eyebrow. He had never seen Raditz get flustered like that, and he hadn't reacted that way when he'd seen the boy in the tank. The guard was running his fingers through his long hair, apparently trying to figure something out. He had a look of both confusion and apprehension on his face as he intently studied Kakarrot.

Kakarrot, it seemed, was just as confused as Vegeta was. He was staring back at Raditz with almost the same intensity as the guard studied him, while never leaving his place by the prince's knee.

"Kakarrot... I will need to speak with Raditz alone." The prince began. "You're still a little sweaty from your workout, why don't you take a bath while we talk?"

Kakarrot's gaze broke as he turned his head up to look at Vegeta. "Alright, Master." He smiled, uncoiling his tail from the prince's calf. He stood, bowed first to Vegeta, then to a stunned Raditz, and left into the expansive bathroom.

Once the boy's tail had completely vanished from sight behind the door to the bathing chamber, the prince turned to the now silent bodyguard. "What was all that about?"

"I-I don't know, Vegeta." Raditz mumbled, rubbing a large hand over his face.

"You didn't react like that this morning."

"He was submerged in blue liquid an behind a wall of thick glass." The guard grumbled, scratching his arm and looking away from the prince's gaze.

"Point taken. But why did you freeze up when you saw Kakarrot now?"

Raditz flinched at the name. "You never met my father, Bardock, did you?"

Vegeta sighed, crossing his arms and leaning back on the couch cushions. The sound of running water reached his ears as he answered. "No, I don't believe I have." It rung a bell, as though he was sure his father had mentioned that name before, but he had never seen who it belonged to.

"He died a number of years ago." He whispered. "That boy looks so much like him it's almost scary."

The prince took a deep breath, surveying the slowly calming Raditz. "That's not uncommon, though. Many of the lower ranking soldiers look similar. I have seen many who look like him, so have you."

"That's only part of it. You said his name was... Kakarrot... Right?" The long-haired man exhaled. Raditz walked forward, deciding to sit upon the chair opposite that of the prince instead of stand at attention.

"Yes..."

"When I was younger," Raditz began. "I was told that I would soon be an older brother. I was excited, hoping he would have a lot of power and maybe join me in becoming a guard. My father said his name would be... Kakarrot." Raditz placed his elbows on his knees and leaned forward until his head was resting in his upturned palms. "I- He- They told me... He died shortly after his mother had given birth to him."

"His mother? Wouldn't she be your mother too?" Vegeta asked, leaning forward as well. His tone wasn't harsh, just questioning.

"No. We would have been half brothers." He sighed. "My father decided he didn't want another son after that... After Kakarrot had died. When I saw that boy just now... It just... Stirred some memories I had forgotten about for almost sixteen years."

Vegeta reached a hand forward, placing it on Raditz' broad shoulder. "He... Kakarrot is sixteen."

Raditz looked up with a snap, dislodging his long locks of hair so they began falling in waves around his face. "It... It could be a coincidence..." He whispered sadly.

"I'm not ruling that out, but I want to be sure. The doctor working with me this morning is fixing a detailed medical report on the boy. Once we're done here, I want you to go to the medical wing and have him compare a sample of your DNA to Kakarrot's."

Raditz folded his arms over each other, leaving his elbows resting on his knees. "Alright." He whispered, looking away.

The prince nodded. "Good. Have no worries, Raditz. We'll find out."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot watched the tub filling with water as his thoughts shifted into overdrive. Why did that guard look at him like that? Was Raditz an old patron to the inn and had seen Kakarrot there? No, he would have remembered that man. His hair was too long to go unnoticed. The boy sighed, running his fingers through the water as it slowly rose. He could smell the apprehension pouring from the previous room. Raditz smelled shocked, and his Master concerned. What had he done to upset Raditz that way? Maybe Vegeta would be disappointed in him for upsetting his longtime guard and friend. He hadn't meant to.

Kakarrot sighed again, sinking into the watery depths, the sweat slinking off of him in the comfortable warmth of the bath. He sunk down until all that remained out of the tub was his head, shaggy black spikes standing up stubbornly in the steam.

~•~ Time Lapse ~•~

"Kakarrot?" Almost an hour later, a deep voice called from behind the bathroom door.

"Come in, Master." He called, gently scrubbing his chiseled arms with the bar of scented soap.

The prince opened the door, noting the steam and breathing in the aromatic, humid air. Kakarrot looked at him with concern, trying to decide how to phrase his suspicion.

"I upset Raditz, didn't I?"

Vegeta took a deep breath, crossing over to sit next to the tub. "If you did, it was not your fault."

"But I still upset him..." He whispered, turning his face away.

Vegeta looked at him sternly. "Why must you look at things like they're your fault? Raditz was only upset because you reminded him of somebody he misses dearly, that's all. How would you have had control over that?"

Kakarrot looked up, eyes shifting until they were locked onto that stern gaze. "I... You're right, Master." He breathed, letting the soap slip into the water.

His Master smiled, reaching over and running his fingers through the still dry locks of black hair. "I'm glad you went to take a bath, you smelled terrible." The prince grumbled.

Kakarrot laughed, redoubling his efforts to find the soap. "Well, I wanted to work out earlier after I woke up."

"What were you exercising for, anyway?"

"Well... I don't know. I like to train, it's fun." He smiled.

Vegeta took pity on him and rolled up his sleeve, reaching into the end of the tub to help him search. "You could always train with me. I spar every day. I could teach you how to fight if you wanted to."

The prince cried out as an excited, sopping wet tail began flinging water around the room. Kakarrot grinned, grabbing his own tail to get control of it. "I would love that, Master!" He exclaimed.

Vegeta wiped water from his eyes with his dry hand as the other found the lost bar of soap. He fumbled to grab it before triumphantly pulling it out of the cloudy water. He smirked. "Good, we'll do that tomorrow then."

Kakarrot's grin remained plastered on his face as he dunked his head under the water to get his hair wet. He pulled up again, spluttering as the prince poured liquid soap over his sopping head.

"I didn't get to wash you hair last time," He chuckled at the indignant teenager. "my turn."

Kakarrot couldn't help but laugh with him, his mood lightening several degrees with the thought of training with the prince. The laugh gently subsided, lapsing into a deep, relaxed purr as Vegeta's fingernails dug pleasurably into his scalp. "So," He he said, sinking a little with his un-tensing muscles. "Did you and Raditz coordinate your stories?"

"Yes." The prince stated from behind him, pouring a palmful of water over his head to ease his progress. "We're both on the same page now."

Kakarrot squeezed his eyes shut to keep the tiny tendrils of soapy liquid from stinging his dark brown eyes. "That's good."

Vegeta kept up the assault on his hair for ten more minutes before he finally was satisfied. "Alright, rinse off."

He did so, dunking his head under the now completely cloudy surface before raising it again to shake the soapy water from his eyes. A snorting complaint caught his attention enough to cause him to stop shaking his shaggy head. Turning to look to the side, he saw a drenched Prince Vegeta stripping off his black spandex.

"Oops..."

He looked up at Kakarrot from beneath his eyebrows as he continued to wrestle with the wet and clinging materiel stuck to his chest. "You're washing my hair."

The boy giggled, pulling the plug to drain out the dirty water. "Heehee, okay."


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Notes:

Warning, the end of this chapter is very lemony. It becomes important later, so I didn't write it just for the point of smut. ;) Just remember, this story _is_ rated M for a reason.

Enjoy.

**Chapter Ten:**

Vegeta stretched comfortably as he slid into his dark-blue, silk night pants. He hadn't really needed the bath, after all, he had showered that morning, but it was far too relaxing to resist. Kakarrot was incredibly thorough when it came to washing hair, though there was little need to do so.

Reaching into his drawer, the prince grasped a long-sleeved, white shirt with a square neckline. It was his favorite to sleep in because of the perfect balance between keeping him warm in the colder months, and keeping him from becoming overheated in the hot ones. He slid it over his arms and dropped it onto his still damp head, trying to find the hole. It stuck a little to his wet hair, still not dry enough to stand on its own. He growled in frustration, wrestling to extricate himself from the smooth, white fabric.

A giggle announced Kakarrot's presence into the room, followed by two strong hands untangling the shirt from his own. Vegeta blushed, tugging a little harder than was necessary to situate it on his hips. He turned to the boy behind him. Kakarrot towered over him, the prince hardly reaching his nose. It struck him that the boy was only sixteen, he couldn't imagine how tall he would be once fully grown!

Kakarrot was wearing another pair of his black pants, the red sash tied loosely about his too-thin waist. He was smiling, brown tail sailing through the air before comfortably settling into a hook-like curl behind his broad back.

"Hn." The prince mumbled, turning his blushing face away from the young man and striding towards the gigantic bed.

A pleasant laugh drifted behind him, following him all the way to his destination. He cracked a smile, crossing his arms over his muscled chest and looking over his shoulder.

"Good night, Kakarrot."

"G'night!" He giggled back.

The boy grinned, pulling back a layer of the red bedspread for Vegeta to slip into. He did so, sliding all the way to the other side so the boy could slip in beside him. He felt the comforter folded back over so that it rested beneath his chin. Vegeta looked up, watching the boy fold it carefully before retreating to the far wall and shutting off the room light. The windows let in the light of the crescent moon high above, casting long shadows onto the walls of the prince's bedchamber.

He heard the sound of approaching footsteps, bare feet slapping the cold stone. He expected to feel the bed shift as the boy sat onto it, but it didn't come. Instead, he heard a gentle thump as Kakarrot curled up on the plush carpet to the side of his bed.

"Kakarrot, what are you doing?" He asked sleepily, turning so that he was facing towards the source of the noise.

"Going to sleep, Master. Are my quarters elsewhere?"

"No..." He began, snuggling more comfortably into the warmth of his bed. "But won't you be cold?"

"Oh, no, Master." He yawned widely. "This is much warmer and more comfortable than my old sleeping pallet."

"Are you sure?"

"Mm-hmm."

Vegeta could hear the satisfied sigh in the last statement, and so decided to drop the issue as his eyes refused to obey him any longer. He fell asleep.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Raditz' head was spinning from the afternoon of surprises he had found in Vegeta's chambers. Like the prince had suggested, he had gone immediately to the medical unit to provide a DNA sample. They would need time to match it, but he felt mixed and confused about the whole situation.

The long-haired bodyguard wasn't sure whether or not he _wanted_ this boy to be his long lost brother. Not that wanting would change anything. From what Raditz had seen, part of him hoped Kakarrot really was. He was respectful, funny, smart, and physically strong from Vegeta's description. But part of him was... _Afraid_ that this boy was the one he had thought dead.

Raditz had seen first hand what it was like in The Carved Crown inn. Yes, it was fairly nice with its plush accoutrements, but there was something much worse underneath. That man was terrible. Cchini, the owner, had been abusing that _helpless, collared_ boy for years. It wasn't all just physical abuse either.

As it was, he had seen the state Kakarrot had been in that morning. It was a wonder that the boy was even still breathing.

Raditz felt guilty. There was no other word for it. If this really was his younger brother, then surely, this must be partially his fault. Where was _he _when the boy was being beaten to death in an alleyway? An alleyway hardly six miles from where he lived! _I can't even bring myself to think of that. _His mind whispered.

His boots thunked dully against the stone floor as he wandered aimlessly around, trying desperately to clear his head. The more he thought about Kakarrot, the more things confused him. That young, sixteen-year-old boy in a bronze collar... How had he managed to live that long? And how, _how_ was his ki so terrifyingly low? He had been wearing a scouter as he walked into the prince's sitting room. Three. That's what the scouter had read.

_Three_? How was that even possible? From the beating he had gotten, Kakarrot's ki should have doubled each time he had nearly died! And by the look of those scars, it had not been the first time he was beaten. So why was his power only three?

Raditz sighed. This walk was doing little to clear his head, only succeeding in knotting those thin tendrils of thought further. He picked a hallway, marching down it until he found a section of the palace he knew. He walked blindly, passing staff and guards alike, drawing upon an uncaring atmosphere in the hopes that no one would talk to him in his time of emotional upheaval. Suddenly, he arrived in front of his chamber door.

He had calmed significantly, his breathing easier, though his guilt still firmly attached. He had shoved the whole ordeal to the back of his mind, opting instead for a heated shower before falling into bed. That would have been the case, anyway, if not for what had been behind his chamber door.

Raditz pushed the heavy, metal door inward, stepping into the darkness of his room. He strode inside, stripping pieces of lightweight armor as he approached the light-switch. The long-haired man turned around, now wearing nothing but his spandex shorts, leaving little to the imagination on such a large and powerful body. He heard a gentle snort from the bed and whipped around to face the noise.

"Chiva!"

The redheaded bodyguard sat bolt upright, the covers falling off of her naked chest as she went. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, just barely obscuring her large breasts as she shifted into a sitting position.

"Surprise." She mumbled, rubbing her eyes with the back of one hand.

"Chiva, what are you doing here?" He asked, not with venom, but with concern.

"Well, you'd had a long day, love." She smiled groggily. "And I wanted to take the edge off that cut you got by... Balancing the sensation."

She traced the outline of a nipple with the tip of her beautiful finger, as if showing off just what she could give him. She looked up, smiling with narrowed eyes as he took in the sight of her, starkly naked agains his bed.

He grinned slyly. It was just like Chiva to do something like this. He didn't mind. "Is that so?" He asked, prowling over to her.

She stretched like a cat, causing her hair to fall back again, her naked chest visible to the cold room. All thoughts of weariness gone, she leveled a look at him, one that said quite clearly that this would _definitely_ clear his mind. He approached, his long, brown tail snaking through the air as he stalked over. Her own tail rose from beneath the heavy sheets to join in waving through the cold night air.

The bed groaned as Raditz knees landed on it, bringing his face just inches from the also kneeling Chiva. He ran a big hand through her choppy hair, following the length all the way to the small of her back. She let out a heated breath as his hand slid to envelop her beautiful, questing tail. She groaned, arching her back as his other arm moved to embrace her.

Chiva's beautiful groan was all it took to bring him to full hardness, made obvious by the pair of spandex shorts being the only thing he was wearing. She rubbed against him, her head right beside his powerful neck. She licked, a long line running from the center of his chest to the base of his earlobe. He groaned as she took it into her mouth, biting gently. He didn't stop with her tail, Raditz threaded it through his hand, enjoying the tiny, needy whimpers coming from his love as she moved away from his ear to finally kiss his mouth.

She gasped, kissing him deeply and fully. She drove her tongue inside, Raditz pushing his own back in a heated battle. He moaned with her as her small, delicate hand found his arousal. She grinned into the kiss, feeling the head through the too-tight materiel. He placed his arms around her tiny but powerful back, gently placing her on the bed, naked body only barely obscured by his long hair and the stubborn sheets. He knelt down over her, straddling her beautiful, slight frame. He placed his hands on either side of her head as he lowered his face right next to her ear.

"So is this why Elry told me to hurry back?" He asked huskily.

She smirked, turning her face to again capture his lips. "Maybe." Chiva whispered, running a hand through his long, black tresses. She bit her lip playfully, leaning her neck up so that she could once again suck on a spot beneath his masculine jaw.

He loved nights like this, when she would sneak into his room, or he would sneak into hers. He loved the way she would arch into a kiss, or shudder as a long lock of black hair brushed over one of her delicate nipples. He loved the sight of her, eyes half closed as he hovered above her. The way her long, sensitive tail stood out straight and quivered as he carefully fingered at its base.

He grunted, going to his elbows above her. He leaned his face down to capture a tiny, pink nipple, gently sucking on it until he evoked a response. She cried out, throwing her head back against the pillow as one of his hands reached beneath the sheets. She was writhing, just for him. She knew it excited him, drove him mad with want. Chiva was excellent at provoking him. He licked lightly against the erect, pink nub. Oh, gods, he loved this.

He would need to get these shorts off soon, but he didn't want to give up his perfect position above her. He bit lightly and was rewarded with a delicate gasp, followed by an arched back. She used this arch to cause the tops of her thighs to brush against his trapped erection. He growled low in his throat at the flood of sensation, gone far too soon.

Without waiting any longer, Raditz reached down and began pulling off the torturing fabric, freeing himself to the cool night. Chiva smirked while he did so, pulling herself up until he was sitting next to the headboard, her back pressed firmly against it. He growled a little at the lost sensation of her body on his as she took his face in her hands to kiss him deeply.

He loved this. He loved _her_.

Years ago, when it all began, this had been only the want of flesh against flesh. They were partners for mutual release- to melt away the tension after a long day, nothing more. One night a week turned into two, then three. They became closer, their bond stronger, more than that of just sex. Raditz and Chiva had tried to see each other every night, but had to leave enough time in-between so they were not detected.

A relationship between two of Prince Vegeta's bodyguards was likely to stir trouble with their temperamental king, so the two kept their love a secret. It was not proper of them to be together.

Especially not since that night two years ago.

~•~ Flashback ~•~

They had been together for a year at this point, truly together, not just heat partners. Raditz sighed, holding Chiva's toned back to his broad chest, sighing in contentment. The bloody bite mark on his neck was still oozing sluggishly. As was hers, though it was placed on the top of her shoulder instead of the side of her neck. She nuzzled back deeper into his chest, heartbeat steadily aligning with his own. It was the same heartbeat now, essentially. She raised a finger, slowly letting a ball of ki form on the tip. He watched it swell, and felt a pull within himself as she did so. They knew it for certain now. They had done the impossible without even meaning to.

They had become mates.

"How...?" She asked, watching the ki form and then fizzle out. "We've bitten before... So, why _now_ did the bond form?"

"I'm no expert, Chiva." He sighed, pulling her closer to his chest, breathing in the scent of her hair. "But I can't say I'm upset about it."

She turned, neck craning to get a look at him behind her back. She sighed, smiling as she felt the warmness of their bond settle between them. "Neither can I. It's a rare thing. In fact, I've never even met another mated couple."

"I have."

"Really?"

The long-haired man nodded, his strands of black pulling against the sheets as he did so. "Yeah, I'll tell you about them later. Right now there's something more important."

"And what is that?"

"What are we going to do about it, Chiva?" He asked painstakingly. He hated to ruin this incredible feeling, but it had to be said. "Do you see what this means? If our relationship was forbidden before, think of now! How... How can we keep this a secret?"

"I don't want to keep it a secret." She whispered, sounding dejected.

"Neither do I." He assured. "But... If we don't, we could be killed. You know why guards are not allowed to be together."

Oh yes, she knew. They both knew all too well. The king had forbidden guards from becoming involved with each other, out of the fear that they would protect the life of their comrade over the royal family. Raditz knew the idea was preposterous, but didn't say so. He and Chiva were not supposed to be this close, let alone be mated at all.

"I know, Raditz. But I _want_ to tell everyone. I want them to know who I belong to, and who belongs to me. It's... It's so hard not to say."

He picked up a large hand, running it through her wavy locks of dark red, taking a deep breath before answering. "It's dangerous to be mates, Chiva."

"I don't care."

"But... If I die, so do you."

"I wouldn't want to live in a world without you, Raditz."

He smiled at that, closing his eyes shut at the selfless love lain bare in that short statement. "Neither would I." His throat caught, thinking about what else this would mean. "We need to be careful, Chiva. In battle, if one of us dies, both of us do. We can't let that happen."

"So... Will we tell _anyone_?"

"Not if we can avoid it. I know it's hard, but it's been this way for a year, we are mates now. If we can do that, we can do anything."

She chuckled breathily through her nose, rolling over so that her naked chest was pressed against his. "Alright, my love. My mate. I look forward to the day when all know whose you are."

He leaned in, kissing her hard on her smiling mouth. They stayed that way for a while, eyes closed, lips met. When they finally broke away, they stayed in each other's arms, listening to their heartbeat, their ki flow, and their life solidify as one.

They were mates.

~•~ End Flashback ~•~

Somehow, they had managed to keep their secret for two full years. It stunned Raditz to think it was such a short time. He felt more like he had known Chiva his entire life.

They each saw the other in the dead of night, always. Sometimes I wasn't enough, but it was all they had. It was still hard to keep secret. He wanted, so badly, to tell everyone that Chiva was his. More than that, that Chiva was a _part_ of him. Without her, he would be nothing. It was heartbreaking to know that, but be unable to voice it. That he loved her.

Raditz straddled her again, sitting lightly on her legs so as not to hurt her. She grinned, pulling her back from the headboard so that his sculpted arms could envelop her again in their heated embrace. Chiva snaked her arms around him too, drawing the large man down to her level.

He groaned deeply when he felt a tail coiling tightly around his freed member. Chiva smirked at him, tightening slightly and moving her her soft, furry length up and down along the shaft. He was surprised his muscles didn't give out at her practiced grace. She had a talent for this. Raditz breathed heavily into her ear as she continued the assault. He turned his face in towards her neck. He breathed her in, drowning in her scent as she sent shocks of stimulation through his whole body. He licked the side of her pulsing throat, sucking a spot to the side until there was sure to be evidence of their nighttime excursion. He didn't care, though. Neither did Chiva, according to the high-pitched growl that issued as a result of the mark.

She was whimpering, needing something. He needed it too, and so obliged her, biting down hard into her beautiful shoulder directly over the spot he had bitten two years ago. She turned her own head inward as well, following with a tiny, sharp bite mark into the flesh of his chiseled neck. He hissed at the feeling.

Raditz loved that bite, loved both of them. The rush of sensation it opened up was intoxicating, but he loved more-so what it represented. He didn't draw her blood, as it wasn't strictly necessary after the first night of the mating bond. Chiva, though, did. Raditz grunted, prompting her to do it again. She grinned, biting deeper until blood welled to the surface, her mate letting out an exquisite growl.

He dragged her down with his embrace on her back, positioning her under him until she was laying flat on the bed. Chiva was too much to resist, her hot, tiny, powerful body beneath him was all he needed now. _He needed her_.

She laughed as he threw the tangle of sheets off the bed. He knew why. Raditz always cut to the chase after the bite. She had told him it was her favorite part, and so always laughed when he would lay her on the bed when he was ready for business. Chiva liked to take the lead beforehand, and then afterword, but while the act was preformed, she allowed it to be on Raditz' terms. There was not a _dominant_ and a _submissive_ with them. They were equals, as mates should be.

Raditz brow creased, an evil smirk darkening his features as he hovered above her. He slowly picked up his right hand, bringing it to her lips. She shuddered, pulling his big fingers into her mouth and wetting them with her tongue. She slid across them, sucking harder as he imagined where else she could put this talent to use. She felt the spark of that thought flash through his mind, allowing an evil smirk of her own cross her face around the fingers in her mouth. He slowly drew them out, lying more directly on top of her, so their chests were not even half in inch apart, but still not touching. He purred.

She cried out as his fingers slid across her. Raditz delighted in the cry, catching up the natural lubrication on the tips of his fingers before slowly pressing them inside her quivering body. She pulled a sharp breath. This was unusual for him, as he would typically just damn foreplay to hell right after he bit into her shoulder. Raditz enjoyed her surprised gasps as he pleasured her with his big fingers. He reached his head around, kissing her hard on swollen lips. She writhed from the combined sensation of her lover's mouth and fingers driving her insane.

Chiva was whimpering by the time he finally drew them out of her, wiping them on his arousal already dripping precum. He positioned himself, placing her legs around is rock-hard waist. Neither of them could wait any longer. With one needy thrust, he plunged in.

His love cried out, throwing her head back as he moved inside of her. He _loved_ that sound. Not only the sound itself, but that he was the one to evoke it sent a spike of pleasure straight through his entire being. Raditz wanted to be the _only_ one to _ever_ cause Chiva to scream like that. In ecstasy, in sensation, in pure and raw pleasure_, _in _love_.

She clawed at his back with her long nails, each a beautiful pinprick of pain to combat the raging sensations of stimulation generating through his whole, large body. He pounded into her, listening to the delicate, mewling moans that escaped past her plump lips. Her long strands of dark red were tangled with his much longer locks of black. They were one, moving together for their own and the other's enjoyment. They were striving to bring the other to completion, while also being bombarded by intense waves from their lover, sending them higher and higher in the onslaught of rushing need.

With a final cry, Chiva tightened around her love, still moving inside of her. She screamed, pressing her mouth agains his neck and gritting her teeth until, with a final push, he too came. They collapsed to the bed, sweat-soaked muscles staining the sheets. She huffed a breath, turning in his arms to kiss him, long and hard on the lips. Raditz smiled, pulling his mate closer to whisper in her ear.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the late-ish update. I hope I have partially made up for it by posting such a ridiculously long chapter.

Just to cover my bases, possible trigger warning for this one. Just a reminder, this story _is_ rated M for a reason.

**Chapter Eleven:**

Raditz' nose wrinkled at the putrid smell of the cold, stone dungeon. The air felt stale, and the chill was the type that sunk to the bone. Not a windy, blustery, cold season sort of chill. It was more like the scent of foreboding, wasted space, and an unsettling stillness hanging in the air.

He walked down the dank hallway, trying his best to ignore the disgusting scents and jeering calls from the filth behind the bars. They would not be there for long, as these men were on death row. He supposed they just wanted to show their disdain for the the ones who had caught them once before they died.

Raditz crossed his arms, striding through the dank stillness beside Nappa. He wasn't paying the large, bald man much attention as his thoughts were far off elsewhere.

Quirking a frown, Nappa asked. "What's got you thinking so hard?"

Raditz' scowl softened as he took a deep breath. He waved the torch in his left hand around noncommittally. "Thinking about the results."

"It's been a week, they still don't have the sample completed?"

"No."

Nappa nodded, turning his face back to the hallway he was walking down. The guard had done as the prince suggested, giving a blood sample to the doctors in the medical unit. They had been working on it nonstop for the past seven days, and said it would take until noon this day to have it verified.

They passed a final twist down the hall, finally arriving at the lower dungeon. It was worse here, the air more rancid than in the higher levels. Shouting issued from behind the bars he passed, men calling out their supposed "innocence" to the disgusting hallway. He stopped suddenly, he had recognized the voice echoing from a cell to their right. It seemed they had found Cchini.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Vegeta was waiting outside, near the entrance to the dungeon. He hated walking down into the dungeons. The men down there hated the royal family even more than they hated the guards. As it was, standing in the outer office of the prison guard, the air still smelled faintly putrid, even being on the ground level.

Vegeta hadn't wanted to have Cchini taken to his own office. He was terrified of what the man would do if he saw Kakarrot, and even more so what the boy would do at again seeing Cchini. Instead, he had borrowed the office of the leader of the prison guards. It was small, but suitable for the purposes for which he needed it.

The past week had gone about as smoothly as one could expect. Kakarrot, for the most part, would follow Vegeta around and see to his wishes. He was timid, mostly around those he did not know. He obviously did not like Nappa much, but had taken a liking to Raditz and Chiva. Elry was quiet, and rather reserved around the prince, but always seemed to brighten when she saw the boy scamper down the halls. It was hard not to brighten when Kakarrot did things like that. It was like he had never been allowed to be a child, and was now making up for lost time. Kakarrot seemed to know mostly where he stood with the prince. Around others, he was quiet and unobtrusive, and when Vegeta asked something of him, he never ceased to jump to the prince's order. When they were alone, however, he was a playful, bright spirit.

Vegeta sighed, tapping his gloved fingers agains the wooden desktop. He hoped Kakarrot was not worried. When the prince had awoken that morning, he had rolled over and peeked his head off the end of the bed. Kakarrot had been sleeping on his stomach, large, powerful back muscles relaxed as he snored into the carpet. Vegeta had felt a pang of guilt at seeing the boy laying on the floor like that, just like he had for the past week. He had tried to offer him a better place to sleep, but he insisted he was most comfortable there.

Besides, Kakarrot's rhythmic, purring snore was far more effective at calming him than... Anything. He couldn't truly remember the last time he had slept all the way through the night in his own bed, and was amazed to notice he had now been doing so for over a week now.

Raditz had surprised him that morning as they and Nappa walked to the dungeon. He seemed to be mentally preparing himself for the possibility of Kakarrot being his brother. Vegeta hated to see his friend upset, but was secretly glad they had not verified the results yet. There was no telling what Raditz would do to Cchini if he thought he had hurt not only a collared boy, but his own brother. As it was, his large bodyguard was grinding his teeth at the thought of the innkeeper.

Raditz had asked questions about not only the boy's well-being, but also his personality. The boy liked the long-haired man, but was still rather timid around any but Vegeta. He had answered all the questions to the best of his ability, but was sure not to tell him about what he knew of the boy's mistreatment. He needed to get answers out of Cchini, and that would require him to be breathing. That was something that Vegeta was sure he would not be doing if Raditz knew the disgusting innkeeper had been forcing Kakarrot into prostitution, brother or not.

With a clang, the thick iron door swung wide, Nappa and Raditz each holding an arm of the struggling innkeeper. The man was smudged with dirt and grime, not to mention blood. There were vivid, blossoming bruises coloring him all over his large body and a gash across the top of his head, coagulated blood covering the area all around it. His hair, so neatly parted just a few nights before, was a disheveled, matted mess. It seemed he had lost the ribbon he used to keep it back, and so the whole lot had fallen in front of his face. He was a large man, but nothing compared to Raditz or especially not Nappa, who were all muscle. Cchini's bulk was almost half fat, and so though he was large, he was not powerful.

The guards dragged the man over, grabbing him by each shoulder before finally getting him to kneel before the desk Prince Vegeta was occupying. He sneered down at the innkeeper, finally ceasing the incessant drumming of his fingertips to the desktop.

"Good morning, Cchini." Vegeta growled, leaning back in his chair.

The man spat at him, once again trying to shake free from the hold each guard had on his arms. "What is the meaning of this?" He shouted. "Why did you send these-" He gestured at Nappa and Raditz with a jerk of his head. "To destroy my inn? What right do you have to do that? You bastards left me down there for _days_ without treating my injuries!"

Raditz, seething at this man's audacity, grabbed him by a fistful of his greying hair. "Is that any way to speak to Prince Vegeta?" He growled. "You're lucky to be alive, you little bastard! If it were up to me and Nappa here, you'd have been dead back at the inn. I believe you owe the prince an-" He tugged the mat of hair back, making the man cry out in pain. "_Apology._"

"That's enough." The prince warned, smirking approvingly as he leaned forward in his chair. "I think he gets the idea."

"P-Prince Vegeta?" Cchini whispered, eyes wide.

Nappa laughed. "Of course it's the prince!" He boomed.

Said prince smirked down his long nose at the man kneeling before his tiny desk. The wide, yellowish eyes had switched from anger to unbridled terror. Vegeta knew his reputation preceded him. He was known to be a cruel, calculating bastard, despite his young age. While that may not have been strictly true, it suited his purpose just fine. Intimidation was a tool he valued very much, and it seemed to be doing its magic on the kneeling man.

"Thank you, Nappa, Raditz. I can deal with him myself." He said, smirk fading slowly into a glare.

"But, sire!" The large, bald guard began.

Vegeta's glare turned to him instead, dark eyes narrowed towards the gigantic bodyguard. "I know what I'm doing, Nappa. You two can wait for me outside the office."

Sighing, each man let go of the shoulder he had been holding. Vegeta was surprised to hear no protest from the long-haired bodyguard as he left. But, Raditz had had a lot on his mind lately with the results coming in just a few hours. When the door closed back behind them, the prince once again turned his attention to Cchini.

"I've done nothing wrong," The man started immediately, beginning to rise to his feet.

Vegeta growled, holding his right hand palm-up. Inside it sat a concentrated disk of burning ki. He leveled a look at the man, gently spinning the disk in his hand. "Move one more inch, and your head comes clean off."

Cchini swallowed, sitting back into the kneel the two guards had positioned him in. "I've done nothing wr-" He began again.

He jumped and cowered back in terror when the prince's other hand slammed hard onto the desk. "**Nothing wrong**?!" He shouted, rising to his own feet. "How is there _nothing wrong_ with raping a twelve-year-old boy? For selling him you like a whore to whichever sick son-of-a-bitch wanted him?"

"I-It was... C-consensual!" He called, scooting back on his knees across the stone floor. "The boy's a liar, always has been, you can't trust a word he says, sire"

It was all the prince could do to keep from throwing the disc then. To decapitate this useless waste of air that had made Kakarrot's life a living hell. "You're telling me that a twelve-year-old became a prostitute of his _own free will_? His tears suggest otherwise, Cchini."

"I- Well, he- he's acting!" He spluttered.

Cchini violently cringed, shaking uncontrollably in fear when Vegeta walked around the desk. It was becoming steadily more difficult to keep his cool. The prince grabbed a fistful of hair, wrenching the man's head back to expose his quivering throat. He slowly lowered his right hand, the spinning disc of death not even an inch from Cchini's wildly pumping jugular vein.

"I will have no more lies from you." The prince breathed in a deadly whisper. "You will never have your freedom for what you have done to Kakarrot, but you can at the very least save your own life."

He watched as that thought sunk in. Selfish tears started welling in the corners of the man's eyes. He nodded slowly, as best he could with the prince's hand still keeping a tight grip on his matted hair.

"Do you want to know why I sent them out of the room?" Vegeta asked, not loosening his hold.

Apparently unable to speak, the man just nodded dumbly again.

"Raditz," He growled, mouth right beside the old master's ear. "The one with the long hair, is Kakarrot's older brother."

He felt Cchini immediately tense, his breath stopping altogether when he heard the prince's words. Vegeta didn't have the definitive proof, but he was almost certain. The stories sounded too similar to be a coincidence. How many boys would be weak enough to plausibly die at birth? And how many would have been born in the Crown City? And then how many more to have the name, Kakarrot? It was true in the prince's mind, and the lab results would show it before this day was up. Either way, even if it was not true, it was having the desired effect upon the quivering coward before him.

"So, Cchini, if you need any more convincing to be cooperative, I can always call Raditz back in here to change your mind."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot stretched and awoke with a relaxed, purring yawn. In the past week, things had settled down considerably, though Vegeta had been avoiding the king like the plague, only seeing him when he was forced to attend meetings and such. Kakarrot knew he had seen a side of his Master than no one else had, and secretly treasured it. He was sure the prince did not. The boy was glad he did not need to accompany the prince to court, for he was sure he would not have been able to look at King Vejiita without glaring, even now. He didn't know what his Master's father had said, but anyone that could cause the prince that much pain was not the sort he wished to ever meet.

The cold had intensified as well, though he always found himself safe and comfortable beside Prince Vegeta's bed. He shifted under the warm, silken blanket thrown over him. He had never had a blanket before... Not even when he was made to sleep outside. The only times he could remember having one at all were the times he was made to stay in a room with a... Client... All night. Sometimes, after they were done with him, they would make him stay. He hated that, as it meant they were just keeping him to use him again. But, at the very least he was sometimes warm.

That was what had happened the day his Master had saved him. The man in room fourteen had kept him there far past his time, and then left before the sun had even risen. He had lain there, on a soft, warm, guest bed until the early hours of morning, trying to recover from the effects of yet another night of service. That is when master Cchini had found him. The boy shivered at the memory, recalling both the humiliation and the pain in sharp detail. Cchini had been furious at his "selfishness" for sleeping where he did not belong. The thought of those welts before he had passed out, the feeling of having a broken tail, all made him want to cry. He almost did, but then stopped when he remembered what it had brought him. Had that never happened, would he ever have been taken in by Prince Vegeta? He didn't know, but was glad that was the case.

Kakarrot felt safe in the palace. He was allowed to be himself around the prince, something he had never known before. It felt so odd, being allowed such freedom, he was almost scared by it sometimes. He had a sense that, maybe he would have the rug yanked from beneath his feet, sending him crashing where he had once believed all was well. He wished for that not to happen, though. He wanted to stay in Prince Vegeta's service.

Kakarrot sat up, stretching his broad shoulders. The blanket he had been curled under slipped off his chiseled chest to puddle in his lap. The light blinding him from the high windows told him he had slept much longer than he thought necessary. Maybe he had been more exhausted than he had thought.

The previous night, he had been with his Master in his personal training rooms. Vegeta had once again taken up his usual routine of sparring, something Kakarrot delighted in watching. The prince seemed to like it when he was there, and made a point of showing him how to preform certain moves. It also gave them a way to train together, something the boy still enjoyed doing, even though it was no longer necessary to his sanity. Those were some of his favorite times over the past week, being able to train. Over the time he had spent at the palace he had gained in both fat and muscle, filling up his malnourished frame. He didn't need to tie his sash as tightly any longer, something he felt rather proud of.

As awareness slowly dawned in his foggy mind, Kakarrot suddenly remembered that he had not been using a blanket the night before. He felt the gentle weave between his fingers. It was the same color as the bed he was lying beside, and so he peeked his head around to see if that was where it had come from. Sure enough, the prince's bed was bare but for its plush pillows and top sheet. The blanket his Master had been using the night before was now curled around his own body, giving him warmth.

There was a gentle depression in the center where Vegeta had slept, but that was all that was left of him. The prince must have woken early and allowed Kakarrot to sleep. The boy supposed he had given him the blanket as well. His eyes caught on a piece of off white paper lying on the pillows at the top of the bed. He stood, reaching a powerful arm forward to grab it.

Kakarrot stared in worry at the note clutched in his hands. It seemed that Vegeta had left him a letter telling him either where he had gone, or what to do until he got back. That was not what worried him, though. The letter was written neatly, with a seal stamped in the bottom. The bright red royal crest was all that let him know for sure that it was from his Master.

He sighed at the paper in his hands._ "I can't read."_

His thick eyebrows drew together as he intently studied the note. He only knew four words, and that was because they had been on the sign outside of where he had worked: "The Carved Crown Inn". The first word was on there several times, but the rest were odd symbols he had no idea about.

Kakarrot sighed, folding the letter and placing it into his black pocket. There was nothing he could do about it, and so he just reached down to the blanket puddled on the floor, throwing it over the large mattress to remake the bed.

Once finished, Kakarrot walked out into the sitting room. It too was empty. The dishes from the previous night had been cleared, and the room restored to its usual crispness, but he still did not know where to find Vegeta. Suddenly, he was struck with a thought.

"I could ask a guard!" He smiled, turning towards the door out of the prince's chambers.

Kakarrot knew how kind Chiva was, and was sure if he found her standing watch outside, she would help him with the note. Even Elry, maybe would help.

He cracked it slightly, peeking into the hall. The main wing itself, by the looks of it, was being guarded. There was usually another guard right beside the doors, but there seemed not to be one today. He shrugged his shoulders, walking out into the cold hallway and towards the two men standing at attention.

They were facing away from him to look down the many branching corridors through which others would be able to access the prince's rooms. The guard on the right, a tall, sleek man heard Kakarrot approaching, and so spun around to face him.

The boy stopped dead in his tracks.

_No, not him, anyone but him. Why is he here? Why would he-? _His mind reeled, trying to comprehend what was this man was doing being a guard. Kakarrot hadn't seen him _once_ the entire week at the palace! _How?_

His thoughts were interrupted by the other guard turning to face him as well.

_No, not him too... _He whined in his head.

Kakarrot wanted to cry. To curl into a ball and weep, to scream and run away, to be _away _from these two, horrible men. At the inn, they would sometimes come separately, sometimes together. He had never learned their names, but he knew their faces, knew their voices, knew who they were and what they did to helpless people like him.

The man on the right grinned cruelly, turning to his fellow. "Look who's come to visit us."

Kakarrot was shaking his head in disbelief, backing away towards the prince's chambers. _No, no, I'm safe here! _He thought, but knew it was not true.

"Wanted us that badly, did you boy?" The left man sneered, advancing on him.

He cried out, walking backwards as quickly as he could to Vegeta's rooms. Tears began leaking from the corners of his dark brown eyes. He had been training, he was strong, but he had no power to combat these men. They had ki, he had nothing to compare to that. Kakarrot spun around, ready to run full-fledged into the room, but one of the men caught ahold of his arm. He screamed, trying with all his might to get away.

_No, I'm not a whore anymore. I don't have to do this, Master promised me! _His mind cried, but no words could make it past the swelling lump in his throat.

He fought, kicking and screaming incoherently as the men laughed in amusement, pushing him to the ground. He couldn't save himself, he wasn't strong enough. Powerful fingers grabbed at his shoulders, ripping his black shirt along the seams. His Master's red, royal crest was torn in half, crimson thread snapping loudly as his clothes were viciously torn from him. Tears spilled from between his black eyelashes, heart hammering in his chest as he was once again subjected to the humiliation of being weak.

A hand grabbed his tail, squeezing it until his knees buckled. He was sobbing in agony and defeat. He couldn't fight anymore, his body rebelled, and Kakarrot went limp, crashing to the ground in a heap.

He was still clothed, mostly, but his shirt was in tatters. His muscled chest was clearly visible through the gaping holes ripped in the fabric. The first man had already untied Kakarrot's sash, the black materiel of his pants already starting to be tugged down. _No, no, no! _His thoughts screamed at him, though repeating that word did him no good.

"**What the hell are you doing**?!" A female voice shouted from down the hall.

The boy mustered the energy to turn his head, being held to the ground as the men preoccupied themselves with humiliating him further. Chiva, hair flying wildly behind her was running at break-neck speed down the hall.

"Chiva," He called, voice choked. "**Help**!"

Face paling considerably as she took in the sight more clearly, she gave up running entirely, opting instead to just fly. The men had finally taken notice of her, but it was too late. She lunged, kicking the larger man off of him. He swung at her, but she used his momentum against him, making him stumble and fall over. His tail, curled around his waist was all she needed. Kakarrot watched in stunned fascination as Chiva sent a carefully aimed ki blast at it, breaking the strong tail in half. The man cried out, rolling onto his side to get off the shattered tail. She had not even scorched it, but just sent enough power to break a few of the delicate bones. He passed out abruptly, mind unable to process the pain.

The other man, much smaller than the first, held Kakarrot by the neck as she advanced towards him. He had the boy in front of him, Kakarrot's left arm twisted behind his back, joint searing painfully at the unnatural angle.

"Let him go, or I'll cut off your godsdamned tail." She growled.

The man holding him looked worriedly to his fallen comrade, but still held tighter to the boy's quivering throat. "I could say the same to you, bitch." He snarled. "The kid's fair game. You can have him when we're done."

"Let him _go_!" She shouted, advancing on the man.

He tightened his hold over the boy's windpipe. Kakarrot struggled, unable to breathe. Tears flowed more freely from his eyes as he choked, trying with all his might to extricate himself from the strong grip.

Kakarrot didn't want Chiva hurt, but he didn't want to die, either. She backed away a little, giving them both more space. The man, occupied with Chiva for the time being, was paying him little mind. The boy grunted, trying to wriggle his arm into a better position. It was pinned between the man's front and his own bony lower back, making movement impossible unless he shifted. He was using Kakarot as a living shield, preventing the short woman from throwing a ki beam at him like she had the last man.

"What right do you have to him?" She growled, tail bristling.

"Leave us, bitch. We've got some more important things to be seeing to." He snarled.

She almost pounced at that, sickened by his cruelty, but then saw the tiny droplets of blood forming on the side of the boy's throat. Grubby fingernails had opened flesh there, tiny streaks of crimson falling down the his tanned neck as the man continued to tighten his grip. Kakarrot's mind went fuzzy, his only task to free his arm_._

Finally, with one last tug, he wriggled his left arm out of the way, grabbing hard onto the tail around the man's waist. He howled, releasing the boy and dropping to his hands and knees as Kakarrot violently squeezed.

True to her word, Chiva sent a hard, little blast directly to the base where Kakarrot had it held out for her, cutting the appendage clean off. The man passed out at her feet.

Dropping the disembodied tail, Kakarrot curled into a ball, weeping profusely. He scooted away from the body on the ground, finally coming to rest in a corner next to the chamber door. _I am weak. I am weak. I am __**still **__weak_. He thought bitterly, coughing as he tried to get his bruised throat to work properly.

Chiva sighed, looking both serious and distraught at the same time. She clicked some buttons on the side of her scouter, staring worriedly at the huddled boy from the corner of her eye. Connections between her private channels opened up and she began speaking into it.

"Prince Vegeta, I am sorry to interrupt, but Kakarrot was just almost raped by two guards." She was breathing hard, fighting back the adrenaline rush that had just assuaged her senses. "What would you like me to do with them until you get here?"

He heard a deep, worried voice coming from the scouter. It shouted, swore, and then unintelligible muttering reached the boy's still ringing ears.

"Yes, sire." Chiva pressed another button, opening another channel. "Raditz, Elry, I need you two in the prince's wing _now._" Without waiting for a reply, she closed connection and dropped to her knees beside the boy.

"Shhh, it's okay." She whispered, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. "They're not going to ever be able to hurt you again."

Kakarrot nodded, wiping his eyes with the backs of his hands. "Th-thank you, Chiva." He said, voice rougher than usual in his abused state.

His stomach was twisted into knots of anxiety, tears sliding down his crinkled nose and flushed cheeks. He felt violated, physically and emotionally. He had believed he was safe, only to then have that hope shattered, like it always was. He sniffled, fighting back the true waves of panic and terrified sobs rushing forward to leave his abused system.

"Shhhh, it's okay." The short, female guard whispered, sitting beside him. She reached an arm around his shoulders, letting him rest against her side as he slowly regained control over himself. It wouldn't last long. "Do you know those men?"

Kakarrot nodded against the side if her large breast. "Th-they used to come to the inn." He whimpered, leaving it at that.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Raditz growled, running down the hall after a cursing Vegeta. The prince had burst out of the office, told Nappa to get Cchini back into his cell, and for him to get moving. Not even a second later, he had heard Chiva through his scouter. "Raditz, Elry, I need you two in the prince's wing _now._" before it cut off.

They flew down the halls, the long-haired guard shouting after Vegeta for answers, but getting none in their haste.

Finally, the two skidded to a halt in the entrance way to Vegeta's wing. There was a man, a little smaller than Nappa, knocked out on the marble floor. His tail was at such an odd angle it must have been broken. On the other side of the wall was a smear of blood and a brown, Saiyan tail lying in the middle of it. Then, at the far end of the hall sat Chiva, gently holding Kakarrot's shaking shoulders as the boy sobbed into his hands.

"What happened?" Raditz asked immediately.

"Two guards tried to hurt Kakarrot. Elry just took that one," She gestured to the smear of blood and tail. "to the dungeon. That one," She nodded to the unconscious form with a broken tail. "is for you."

Vegeta stared, taking in the sight of Kakarrot as he bounded up and rushed over. His clothes were violently torn apart, ripped so viciously in places that they hardly served the purpose of clothing any more. Several red marks were visible through the holes in the materiel, surely bruises still yet to form. His head was bowed as he ran for the prince, sobbing incoherently as Vegeta's arms enveloped him in a comforting embrace. Kakarrot's black hair was a disheveled mess, even more disorderly than usual. Worst, though, was the stricken, horrified look on his red, sobbing face. Tear-tracks glittered over his flushed cheeks, still falling from his tightly closed eyes and onto the prince's royal armor.

"Master!" He wailed. "Master, I'm so sorry!"

"Shhh, it's alright, Kakarrot. You have nothing to be sorry for." He cooed, stroking the boy's tail.

Kakarrot winced as Vegeta's fingers found a sensitive spot about a third of the way down, and then another right towards the end. He let out a tiny whimper at each point, moving tighter into the prince's embrace as his fingers gently traced them.

"Is anything broken? Are you seriously hurt?" He asked, stepping back to get a look at him.

Kakarrot shook his head, looking solemnly at the ground between them. "N-no, but they grabbed my tail, so it hurts."

He hugged the boy tightly again, resting the shaggy head again upon his shoulder. "It's alright. You're safe now. Here, follow me." The prince whispered, gently smoothing the fabric ripped open over the boy's muscled chest.

Once assured that Kakarrot was being well cared for by Vegeta, Raditz walked over to Chiva, still sitting against the wall. He offered a hand, picking her up by the strong grip. "You okay, Chiva?"

She looked at him deeply. She appeared shaken, not by the battle, but by what she had seen moments before they got there. Her dark red hair was knotted around her pale face. No, of course she wasn't okay.

Finally, she nodded. He wished more than anything that he could have kissed her, then. Or even just held her in his arms like Vegeta was for Kakarrot. He turned his head around, watching the prince lead the boy into his chambers by the grip on his tail. The chamber door swung shut behind the pair, sending a clear signal of "keep out" to the guards in the hall. Sighing, Raditz leaned in close to her. She was looking away, gaze fixed upon anywhere but her mate's face. There were no witnesses, she needed this, who was he to deny her? Even if she didn't know what he was planning to do.

Quickly, softly, the long-haired bodyguard landed a chaste kiss on her flushed cheek. She jerked her head up in surprise, eyes going wide as she first searched his face, and then the halls. They were empty. He had already checked.

Raditz smiled at her. Then, without another word, he turned, grabbing the limp body on the floor to take back to the stone dungeon he had just left behind.


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Notes:

Warning for this chapter... Accidental lime? I don't know if that's a thing or not, but it's my warning. Take it or leave it.

**Chapter Twelve:**

The prince gently pushed Kakarrot into an armchair inside his expansive sitting room, careful to avoid the boy's damaged tail. He sat on the ottoman beside, gently taking Kakarrot's hand in his gloved ones.

"What happened?" He asked gently.

Tears were still streaming from the boy's beautiful, dark brown eyes. He took a deep breath, leaning forward so much in the chair he was nearly bent in half.

"I- I'm so sorry I couldn't follow your instruction, Master." He whimpered, tears dropping onto the knees of his black pants. "I found the note you left for me, but- but," He began sobbing again in earnest. "I can't read!"

Vegeta could have hit himself. Of course Kakarrot couldn't read, he grew up a slave! He would never have had class instruction, battle tactics, or even pod training. The prince had never even taken that into consideration when he wrote the note for Kakarrot. Now, though, he felt awful.

Vegeta quietly growled at his own stupidity, regretting it immediately as the boy's head came up in shock at the sound. He shook his head, looking to the side in a gesture that would tell him the growl was not because of him. Kakarrot sighed in relief.

He had written it so that the boy would not be worried about him while he was gone. Instead, he had caused him more upset, believing it was his fault for not being able to understand it.

"I'm sorry, Kakarrot. I didn't even consider that. It's not your fault you can't read, don't blame yourself. It was my fault for not thinking." The prince whispered, running his thumbs across the back of the boy's callused hand.

The boy shifted his other hand to lay it over the prince's. "It's okay, Master. I went out there to ask a guard to read the note to me." His chin was trembling. "I-If you hadn't left one, I would have gone out to ask where you had gone. It would have happened either way. A-and if you hadn't, then I might have gone out sooner, and then Chiva wouldn't have been able to rescue me." He sobbed.

"What happened when you got out there?" Vegeta was furious, but tried not to show it in his voice. Once again, the boy with few good, redeemable memories in his tortured life was brought to tears by the cruelty of others.

Kakarrot tried to regain his breath. "I w-went to see if Chiva was outside the door. She was kind to me, and so, I thought she'd r-read it to me." He was bawling again. "She wasn't there. I we-went to ask the other guards, b-but..." He lunged forward, clinging to Vegeta like a drowning man, sobbing loudly into his shoulder. "W-when the first one saw me, I knew who he was! And then th-the other one turned and I knew him from the inn too." Short nails dug into the armor at his back. "I tried to run, I-I tried! Th-they caught me and forced me down!"

The prince clutched to him, gently stroking his shaggy head as the boy poured out his heart and soul into his Master's armored shoulder. This sort of behavior between a Master and servant was next to forbidden. It wasn't proper, but at that moment, Vegeta couldn't have cared less. _Fuck rank._ His mind snarled.

Every once in a while, the boy would readjust his grip, loosening and then retightening his firm hold. He was becoming incoherent, but Vegeta did not stop him. He could always get the story from Chiva later if need be. He wasn't really looking for information anymore, just trying to stay adrift in the misery the boy was exerting. The prince listened as Kakarrot became steadily more understandable, freezing as he caught the last two sentences leaving the boy's mouth.

"I th-thought I was safe here, Master!" He wailed. "But I'm never safe. I'm still a _whore_."

He sobbed the last word like it was poison. Like it was a tattoo of shame as permanent as his collar. For that matter, maybe he saw the collar like it marked him like a whore. Vegeta hated it. Kakarrot felt safe for the first time in his life and now it was all for naught. Vegeta shut his eyes with the boy. He pulled him down from the chair, sitting him astride the prince's lap on the ottoman. He cooed, whispering into his ear.

"You are not a whore, Kakarrot. You never were. You were forced to do those things. You tried with everything you had to get those men away. They tried to hurt _you_, you didn't entice them." Pain seeped into his voice as he gently rocked the boy in his lap. "I wish I had known..." He choked, trying to force the words past the lump in his throat. "I wish I could make you feel safe."

After a while, the boy's crying slowed and finally stopped. He gently pulled his face away from Prince Vegeta's shoulder to stare into his dark eyes. The glittering tear tracks on his honey-tanned face traced the gentle curve of his flushed cheeks, traveling down to drip slowly from the sharp chin. His lip trembled so much he bit down on it as Vegeta reached up to push the bangs from his sweat-slicked face.

He whispered chokingly. "I feel safe with you, Master."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

It was true. His Master made him feel safe. Not because of his power, wealth, or station, but just because he was _Vegeta_. Something told him, deep in those endless, dark eyes that _nothing_ could harm him with this man around.

Without hesitation, the prince answered. "Then you will never leave my side."

He spoke softly, with meaning. They were not just words to tide him over. Vegeta _meant_ what he said. Kakarrot clutched to him, thanking the prince profusely under his breath. He would _die_ for this man.

Still, he felt shaken. He had deluded himself in believing he could be free of his old life so soon. It wasn't that he thought he _was_ a whore, but that no one would ever see him as more than that. He feared how many other men at the palace he had been under.

It sent chills through him when he thought about how easily he had been taken down. If Chiva had not been there, he would have been raped right in the hall. No help, no witnesses, no escape. He shook, fighting off the fresh wave of tears threatening to flow down his face at the thought of that outcome. Kakarrot took a few deep breaths, steeling himself, listening to Vegeta's steady heartbeat as his own finally slowed.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Raditz carefully stirred the tea leaves around the hot cup in his large hands. Chiva was sitting at the small table in his chambers, leaning the wooden chair beside it back onto its hind legs. She sighed, graciously accepting the cup from his hands and then immediately cursing when a drop spilled on her. She growled, setting it on the table while she blew on her fingers. He grinned at her, pulling a jar of honey from a cabinet to set it beside both of their cups of hot tea. He took up residence in the only remaining chair, directly across from where his love dribbled the sticky sweetener into her glass. He picked up his drink, unsweetened, and took a long draw.

"So," He said, setting it back down so that it thunked against the wooden surface. "What happened?"

She sighed, stirring the honey into hers with the long-handled spoon before answering. "Just what I said happened earlier."

He shook his head it her, rolling his eyes as she delicately sipped from her dark brown cup. "Chiva."

She growled under her breath, glaring at him from beneath her eyebrows. "You'll get angry. And don't say you won't, because I know you, Raditz. You'll get pissed, fly off, and go kill something."

He looked at her blankly, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. "I already know they hurt him, I just don't know why. How much angrier could I be? I already put that son-of-a-bitch in the dungeon, and Elry did the same to the other."

Chiva huffed, leaning forward enough for the other two legs of her chair to come crashing back to the ground. She crossed her arms as well, but instead placed her elbows on the table before her and fitted her face between them. "You don't want to know, Raditz. You just don't." She mumbled.

"I believe that's for me to decide."

She snapped her head up, glaring at him intently. "Fine." She snarled. "They tried to rape him."

The long-haired bodyguard stared, just stared at her as his mind tried to process what she had just said. _What?_ Two guards tried to _rape _Kakarrot?

"What?" He asked in stunned disbelief.

"They were trying to rape him. They were tearing off his clothes, and almost had him undressed when I got there." Her tone and expression softened, gaze flicking back to the ground instead of at the distraught look now coloring Raditz' features. "I asked if he knew them. He said they used to come to the inn."

Raditz had still not quite grasped the concept. He had known the living conditions the boy had been under were horrible at best, but he didn't know to what extent. That Cchini had been a sick bastard, whipping a child like that. He'd seen the scars, too. There were ki burns all over Kakarrot's chest, clearly visible when he decided not to wear a shirt. He ran Chiva's words through his mind again. Something snapped into place the second time they flashed through his mind, finally comprehending it. He uncrossed his arms, sitting forward in his seat to once again pick up his drink.

"It... It's happened before, then?"

Chiva shrugged, a pained expression crossing her slightly rosy face. "I can only guess, but I think so." She whispered, staring into her teacup.

"Th-those bastards raped him more than once?!" He whispered, anger evident in his voice.

His face flushed red with rage. Kakarrot had been raped? As if the physical abuse wasn't enough, and the mental and emotional to add to it, he had also been raped? Multiple times? Suddenly, he didn't care whether or not Kakarrot was blood-kin. The injustice of a _collared_ boy, unable to fight back, being forced to...

"_I'll kill them_." He whispered, looking into his still half-full glass with an expression bordering upon lethal rage. "I don't care if he's my brother or not. I will." He was growling deep in his throat, imagining the guard he had seen being nothing more than a smear on the wall.

Chiva paled. She didn't look happy to have been proven right in her assumption of how her love would handle the situation. She took a deep breath, staring at him intently. "No, you won't."

He glared up at her, long black hair framing his almost completely red face. "Yes, Chiva, I will."

"No, you will await further instruction from Prince Vegeta." She growled at him, standing her ground. "He cares for the boy too, and no doubt will be thinking about what to do to them. Leave that to him."

Raditz snarled, rising from his chair and pacing around the room, gesticulating wildly with is hands. "**I don't want to leave it to him**." He almost yelled, turning away from her and grabbing fistfuls of his own hair. "I want them to suffer! For being in the palace, for hurting Kakarrot!" His tail slashed through the air before remembering its place and re-securing itself around his waist. "A _boy_, Chiva! One with a collar, too! He can't fight back, and they used that against him- _who knows how many times?_"

She stared at him, kneading her brow with one of her hands resting on the table. Chiva gently closed her eyes, breathing deeply and sipping from her cup. "Raditz, this is exactly why I didn't want to tell you. I understand how angry you are, but you need to think rationally."

He forcefully grabbed the back of his seat, spinning it around to sit in it backwards and once again pick up his abandoned cup. He rested his chin on the carved wooden chair back, trying his best to control his raging temper.

"I know." He growled deeply, looking at the ground to the right of where they both sat. "But I want to kill something."

His love smiled sweetly, circling around the table to stand behind him. She pushed the long locks of black hair out of her way, making a clear path to his neck. Chiva lightly traced her fingers against the back of his neck muscles before digging them in, kneading out the tension.

"That's only to be expected. I was angry too, but I had to put it away to help and then comfort Kakarrot."

He nodded slightly, enough to say he had heard her words, but not interrupt the massage. He sighed. "What do I do, then?"

She pressed her fingers in harder, making him groan from both relief and discomfort. "Await instruction."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

They stayed there for a long time, Vegeta holding him as he hugged the prince to his chest. He felt safe there, calm, and comforted.

After hours of that long, gentle, silence... He felt better. He wasn't upset anymore, not really, with Vegeta holding him like that. He smiled, and the prince ran his fingers softly across his tail. The boy flinched.

"Oh, I forgot about your tail." He whispered softly. "How about you kneel down and I'll take a look at it."

Kakarrot nodded, sliding gracefully from his Master's lap to kneel with his back to him.

"Will it hurt?" He asked, wiping away the unneeded tear tracks from his colored cheeks.

"Maybe a little a first, but it will hurt much less in the long run if I do this now."

The boy smiled and nodded, making sure Vegeta saw his sign of approval before he turned his attention downward. He started at the base, a long stroke all the way to the tip. It was gentle, but he still flinched at those two points. Carefully, the prince's nimble fingers found and encircled the sore spot. He began to massage the abused area, working the kinks of muscle that had knotted where his tail was grabbed. It hurt at first, but he fought not to cry out. _This is Vegeta, Master wouldn't hurt me_.

Slowly, the sensation started feeling better. A purr rumbled from his chest as his Master worked. He moved up the length, treating the end to the same massage. His breath caught at the expected pain, but it did not come. Instead, the pleasurable sensation intensified, turning his purrs to panting, heavy breaths.

"Ngh." He moaned, falling forward a little so his elbows rested on his knees.

"Sorry." The prince mumbled, thinking he was uncomfortable, but continuing to concentrate upon working the bruised appendage.

It was quite the contrary. Kakarrot was panting heavily, body slowly becoming slicked with sweat. Vegeta, oblivious to the boy's predicament continued to tease his throbbing tail. He felt hot all over. It was like pleasure was shooting from the tip of the long, furry appendage, strait to his hot groin. The muscles in his neck gave out, his head falling forward to look at the fabric tented between his powerful legs. He was moaning, the sensation increasing as Vegeta continued to knead the muscle of his long, brown tail.

Kakarrot squeezed his eyes shut against the flood of sensation. The strokes were becoming longer, harder, more precise. They realigned incorrectly placed vertebra, smoothed misplaced fur, and rocketed blood into his hard, straining erection. He fought to breathe, this wasn't pain, it was ecstasy. He had always been the one doing the pleasuring, but now... Now Prince Vegeta was giving him pleasure.

With a final, solid sweep, a cry tore from his throat. His sculpted back arched before falling forward again, covering the white substance spilling from the front of the now wilting tent of his pants.

Regaining his breath only slightly, he was just able to whisper. "M-Master...?"

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Vegeta looked up, startled that he had hurt the boy. He was focused upon undoing the damage the men had caused the boy's tail. He was still growing, and if the prince didn't fix this, it could hinder his development. He had gotten lost in the silky texture of the soft fur. It amazed him how reactive to touch it was, curling and straightening as he gently realigned misplaced bones to quiet the discomfort Kakarrot had been feeling.

He dropped the tail immediately when he noticed the the boy was bent in half, panting hard. He wondered if he had done more harm than good. The prince stood, circling around to kneel before him, gently taking Kakarrot's shoulders into his hands.

"I'm sorry, are you okay?" He asked worriedly.

The royal knelt before him, taking in the sight of sweat-slicked muscles. He was terrified he had accidentally done some sort of damage, and knew he would never forgive himself if he had. He didn't see how that was the case, though. He had done the same to his own tail when it had been hurt during a training session as a child. Besides, if he had caused the boy pain, he would likely be screaming, not panting. Slowly a scent reached his nose. Vegeta blushed scarlet, now better understanding the moans that had been coming from the huddled form.

Kakarrot huffed a short breath, sitting up a little straighter, a sticky, glistening spot shining on the front of his black pants. "I think my tail's fixed, Master." He mumbled, a glazed look in his eyes.

Kakarrot was also blushing, though if it was from embarrassment or stimulation he did not know. He looked ashamed, or maybe a little frightened. The prince inwardly sighed. Once again, he had tried to help and ended up making Kakarrot uncomfortable. He opened his mouth, trying to somehow undo the damage he must have done. Before he could even utter a single sound though, the boy spoke.

"Th-thank you." He whispered, awkwardly placing his hands over the spot on the front of his pants.

Vegeta puzzled for a moment, trying to understand exactly what the boy meant. Thank you? He had caused them both embarrassment. Why would Kakarrot thank him for that? He elaborated.

"No... No one has ever seen to _my _pleasure before, not without something for them to gain." He whispered, staring at a point in the floor off beside his own left knee. "Thank you for that..."

Vegeta blushed again, flicking his own gaze away when the boy's rose up to meet it. "You're... You're welcome."

The boy stood, a soft smile gracing the edge of his lips. "I'm going to get cleaned up, alright, Master?"

"Y-yes, of course."

Kakarrot left into the bathing chamber, gently shutting the door behind him. The prince had not expected that reaction. No, not at all. He expected embarrassment, which there had been plenty of, but thanks? At the very least, he was glad Kakarrot wasn't upset anymore. About the earlier incident, or about him. He truly hated seeing the boy upset.

Vegeta looked up when he heard the bathroom door squeak open. Kakarrot, unabashed, walked out stark naked. Yes, the prince had seen the boy naked before... But they had not bathed together since that first time, after the boy had come out of the regeneration tank a week ago. Yes, the prince would sometimes bathe in front of him, but it was usually Kakarrot washing his hair while he took a bath. Once he was done, Kakarrot would insist he go to bed while the boy took his. Since they often trained together, they were both sweaty at the end of the day, but their current arrangement meant he had not seen the boy naked since that night he had spoken to Raditz about getting a DNA test done.

It was obvious that the boy had put on weight, which suited him well. It was the sort of weight that made him look healthy, as opposed to emaciated like he had been. His structure had developed for the better as well, becoming more defined and better honed in the past week's workout.

The fluid grace of those rugged muscles, the gentle curve of his chiseled shoulders, and the elegant sweep of his sensitive tail all made the prince wish to either stare forever, or turn and run. He wondered if it was wrong to stare at a sixteen-year-old like that, but it was hard to look away.

Though he sometimes thought of him as a boy, a boy was not an accurate term. He was strong, muscular, rugged, handsome, tall, and mature. Vegeta doubted he would have been able to deal with half the horrors in Kakarrot's life. That sort of baggage made a person grow up fast, which was exactly what Kakarrot had done. No, Kakarrot was not a boy, he was a young man.

His back to Vegeta the whole time, Kakarrot walked into the bedchamber to get a fresh change of clothes.

After a few minutes of the sound of rustling, the young man reemerged. He was once again wearing a freshly cleaned pair of black pants, red sash tied tightly around them, but this time forgoing the shirt. The red marks had still yet to form bruises, but would very soon by the looks if them.

"Um, Master, are we going to get to train today?" He asked timidly, walking over to the prince. The blush had faded from his tanned face, while it still raged on Vegeta's.

The prince cleared his throat, trying his best to banish the image he had just been treated to a few minutes before. "If you'd like to."

A tiny grin lit up the young face, gently crinkling the folds of skin at the top of his nose. "Yeah, I'd like that."

The prince sprung up from his seat, a long brown tail looping around his wrist as he went. "Alright, let's go." He grunted, pulling them both from the room.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen:**

Raditz stared at the paper in his shaking hands. It was true, there was no denying it, _he and Kakarrot were brothers._ Though he stared at the large, red lettering spelling out "DNA match", his mind had still yet to comprehend it completely. He had a brother. _He had a brother._

Yes, the long-haired bodyguard had been contemplating the concept, but had still remained unsure. Really, he suspected he had not wanted to get his hopes up, only to have them crushed. But, there was no need for that now, the DNA tests confirmed their relation.

So, then, why was he not jumping and shouting for joy? Why was he not even smiling as he tried to fit the notion into place? Why was he shaking, the paper clutched in a iron grip?

He wasn't angry, not really. Not at Kakarrot, or his father. _Their father._ But, he felt... Wrong. He had had a brother for sixteen years, and never knew? How could his brother have been living just _six miles away_, and he had never run into him? Granted, the Crown City was a large place. But, still...

He had grown up as well as any Saiyan child of the lower ranks. Life may have been hard sometimes, but it was always worthwhile. He had been taken in, and trained to be a royal guard. But what had his brother had? Kakarrot had grown up beaten, abused, neglected, hurt, uncared for, and _raped_. In comparison to his younger brother, Raditz' life was incredible. He worked for a man he considered a friend, he was valued, and though very few knew it, he even had a love.

He backed into the wall outside the medical unit. Raditz felt sick. He felt guilty, ashamed, responsible, _terrible_. He had never known. If he had, would he have been able to save him? Could he have saved Kakarrot from life as a slave? Kept him from the pain others had inflicted upon him?

His stomach churned at the thought. The guard's thoughts rushed into overdrive, thinking of every way he could have prevented this. The stories became increasingly implausible. He sighed, shaking his long locks. No, maybe he could not have prevented this. He kept asking himself how he had _not_ known, but without circumstances lining up perfectly, how could he _have_ known? Besides, what if he _had_ found the boy? What then would he have done? A collar was a collar, and he had neither the power nor authority to remove it. He couldn't have saved Kakarrot...

The large bodyguard slid down the wall, his hands finally ceasing their incessant shaking. He took several deep breaths. No, he refused to wear the guilt for what others had done. Cchini, those two guards, and all of Kakarrot's other owners were to blame for his mistreatment, not Raditz.

As the thought of those men flashed through his mind, he went directly from shock to rage. He had been angry before, when Chiva had told him about that the two guards had intended. His blood boiled at the thought of them, and what they had tried to do, and likely had already done before. Before it had been a rage of harming the innocent, those who could not defend themselves. But now... Now it was deeper, _personal_. They hadn't just hurt a boy, they had hurt his _brother_.

Again came that sensation of wanting to kill something, and not just anything. He wanted to kill those guards for violating his bother like that, wanted to hurt Cchini for not stopping it. Hatred and anger burned in his chest before, slowly, Chiva's words came back to him. He growled at the thought of them, knowing she was right. He took a deep breath, staring again down at the slip of paper.

His heart rate slowed as he worked to calm down. He didn't want to, though. Without anger and rage to fuel him, all he was left with was this burning guilt. He groaned, thunking his head back against the stone wall pressed to his back.

He thought of Kakarrot, _his brother_. The way he scampered playfully one minute, and was a calm, quiet servant the next. He always followed Vegeta, tail wrapped around the prince's wrist. He was sometimes so reserved, but also so lively. He was typically unobtrusive, especially when there were others around. He liked it when he saw Kakarrot being a kid, though. He was a teenager, a young man. He was remarkable, and Vegeta obviously cared a great deal for his well-being. The prince didn't really treat Kakarrot like a servant. He treated him more like a companion, something Raditz was grateful for.

As he calmed, the guilt faded back into the recess of his mind. He knew it would come back later, but for now he was content to just sit there, letting the feeling painstakingly seep into him.

Finally, slowly, a hesitant smile creased the corners of his mouth.

_I have a brother._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

With a hard kick to the backs of his knees, Kakarrot was down. It was the third time for him, but it was not a total loss. He had knocked Vegeta down twice in the course of their training session. The prince had only now, an hour later, settled the score.

"Best three out of five, Kakarrot." He smiled, breathing heavily as he reached a hand forward to grab the younger male's outstretched one.

He took the offered hand, grinning up at his Master like a loon. "That was amazing!"

"It was." Vegeta agreed, crouching down and resting his elbows on his knees next to the still sitting Kakarrot. "You're a natural."

He blushed, scratching the back of his shaggy head as the grin remained plastered to his young face. "Well, I have a great teacher." He replied, gently shifting his gaze back to the crouching prince.

Vegeta laughed, a low, gravelly, pleasant sound. He pulled the younger man up as he stood. "I can't remember the last time someone knocked me down once, let alone twice." He half-growled.

Kakarrot blushed again, laughing nervously as he graciously accepted a cool towel from one of the other servants in the training rooms. "Thanks, Master. Will we get to do it again soon?"

He showed a confident smirk. "Of course."

While he and Vegeta often trained together, they never sparred. Usually, the prince would call in a guard to battle with while Kakarrot joyously watched on the sidelines. Today, though, they had decided to try an actual spar between them. The young man smiled, immensely glad they had. He had never felt something quite as exhilarating as a fight like he had had today. It was something far more strenuous that just working out, as in a spar he had to employ tactics, something Vegeta was quick to teach him.

"Too bad I can't do ki training with you." He said solemnly.

Vegeta rolled his eyes, wiping the sweat from them with a towel. "Don't worry about that, Kakarrot. There are few people on the planet that I can spar with using ki. You're the best physical challenge I've had in a long time, and you're a quick learner. Soon, you'll be a top fighter, too."

His head jerked up in surprise. "You really think so?"

The prince nodded, placing a hand on Kakarrot's sweat-soaked shoulder. "I'm certain of it."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Vegeta motioned to a servant girl over by the door to the training room. She crossed hurriedly, bowing before him and awaiting instruction.

"Have a meal set up in my chambers. Enough for three. While you are there, bring a change of clothes for both Kakarrot and myself." He ordered softly.

She nodded, rushing off to do as bidden.

Kakarrot looked over at him, still panting hard. "Someone will be joining us for dinner?"

"Yes, Raditz."

"We'd better get cleaned up, then. We can't wait to bathe tonight if we smell like _this_." He giggled.

"And quickly."

Looping his sweaty tail around the prince's wrist and pulling him over to the bathing chambers at the back of the royal gym, Kakarrot laughed quietly under his breath. "Sounds nice." He grinned, stomach deciding to just then give a particularly loud and drawn rumble. "I'm starving."

The prince groaned jokingly. "I should have had to set it for five. I can't imagine the food will last long with both you and Raditz at a table together."

Kakarrot giggled again, stepping into the shower's anteroom with Vegeta in tow. The prince liked his playful attitude, talking lightly as they began stripping out of their sweat-soaked clothes.

He was realizing steadily how much he enjoyed the taller man's company. He was sometimes timid, but once he got out of his shell, Kakarrot was an excited, lively, fun loving young man. He was constantly amazed at the resourcefulness, skill, and innate talent he possessed. If he had had any ki to speak of, Vegeta would have more than met his match.

In everything but power, he saw Kakarrot as an equal. It was odd, he, the Prince of all Saiyans, would take such a great liking to a teenager below even third-class. But Kakarrot was just so damn _likable. _How long had he known him, all of a week and a few days? And yet he felt so protective of him, so close, and so attached. He felt responsible for the shaggy-haired servant boy.

But he _wasn't _a servant boy, was he? Vegeta had not told him to alert the kitchens, or get them a spare set if clothes. Kakarrot wasn't a servant at all. Not the way Vegeta treated him, anyway. If anything, calling him a servant was more like a cover story. Really, though he was too old for one, Kakarrot acted more like a Royal Playmate.

Vegeta had very few he considered friends, the closest of which being Raditz. But, had Raditz ever seen him cry? Ever hugged him, or asked for comfort when he was upset? No. It wasn't proper for the prince to interact that way with his guards, but it was even less acceptable to do so with a _servant_.

Vegeta sighed, taking off his scouter and placing it on a shelf along the black, tiled wall. Though he hadn't needed to check any ki levels, he liked to wear it just in case someone needed to get in touch with him. Just before his and Kakarrot's spar, he had been glad he was wearing it.

A shaky-sounding Raditz had called him, letting the prince know about the results to the DNA samples. Just as he had suspected, too. Kakarrot and Raditz were half-brothers. That was when he had thought to set up a dinner for the three of them. He thought it the best way to introduce the subject to Kakarrot. As it was, Vegeta was sure Kakarrot knew how deeply he trusted the long-haired man. Still, the prince was unsure how to breech the subject of his family with the teenager.

Just as pressing was what punishment to sentence those men to, as well as Cchini. Those sons-of-bitches could rot in the dungeon for all he cared, though he was certain that was a more forgiving punishment than any of them deserved. Still, he could hardly hunt down every man that had ever caused Kakarrot pain and torture them to death, even if he wished he could. People like that didn't deserve to live. Causing pain to a _collared_ boy... Especially Kakarrot. Anyone who spent even five minutes beside him could grow attached to the playful young man. But, he supposed that any person who would consent to rape a teenage boy would not have enough heart to grow fond of anything.

Silently, his heart ached. Kakarrot had been through more than anyone had a right to. _No one_ deserved that sort of treatment... Except perhaps the men that had done such things to him. He sighed, deciding to just put it off until later that evening. Not everything could be worked out now, and he would want to speak to Raditz about this as well. He was Kakarrot's older brother, after all, and deserved at least a say in their punishment.

He continued undressing, taking a great deal longer than the already naked Kakarrot. But, all he had to remove was a pair of pants, as opposed to the prince's many-layered, royal armor. A pair of strong hands began delicately helping him slide out of the chest plate and cape, flinging them down the metal chute on one of the high, tiled walls.

Kakarrot glanced over his shoulder at the solemn looking prince. "What are you thinking so hard about, Master?"

Vegeta pulled off the sticking spandex shirt, throwing it so that it joined its fellows. "A lot." He concluded.

The handsome, younger man chuckled, kicking the prince's discarded boots aside with one of his bare feet. He placed a hand on each shoulder, gently rubbing the tense back. Vegeta moaned, neck letting out a crack as it fell forward so Kakarrot's questing fingers could massage its tired muscles as well.

"I could do a better job with something slick," He began.

Without hesitation, Vegeta stripped off what was left of his spandex and curled his tail around Kakarrot's wrist. They both stepped into the shower, the prince immediately tossing a bottle of soap at the grinning young man.

"Get to work, then." He smirked over his shoulder as Kakarrot turned the water on to hot.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot smiled as he watched his Master's dark brown hair wilt under the steady stream of water. He poured a handful of soap over it, quickly scrubbing it in before it had a chance to get into his eyes. He was under the water too, his hair wilting a little as well, but not to the same extent as Vegeta's did. The changing and bathing rooms here were much larger than the ones in the medical unit. The tiled walls glittered in the better-lit interior, illuminating his hands as they kneaded away the tension in his Master's powerful neck. Lazily, the prince grabbed a stool forward, placing it beneath the stream of water and sitting upon it.

Giggling gently, he scratched behind the prince's ears, eliciting a moan. He loved hearing things like that, telling him he was doing well. He threaded his fingers between the long, dark strands of hair, making way for his nails to delicately scratch at the sweaty scalp.

It had been quite a workout today. Kakarrot knew how to train his muscles, but not in the style of fighting. He had known how to punch and kick, but it took a while for him to understand the proper way to block like Vegeta did. His Master was incredible. The way he fought was purely second-nature, born from many years of hard training, striving, and innate skill.

He had suspected that he was holding back at first, something Kakarrot was thankful for. This had been the first time he had ever fought _with_ someone, other than tiny, meaningless tussles he had had as a child with other slaves.

He admired the technique Vegeta used flawlessly. He wasn't a big man, and so at first glance, many would not see what a dangerous threat he presented. The prince was small, lithe, sleek, and _fast_. Kakarrot, was typically thought to be muscular, but it wasn't as much as it seemed. Much of the reason his muscles were so defined was from the lack of fat coating them. Though he had gained weight in his week at the palace, it was still insufficient to hide the still clearly visible ribs. Kakarrot smiled. Yes, he was muscular, but Vegeta was _powerful_.

He looked down at that powerful body he was standing behind. The graceful, wet, brown tail swung lazily from the stool, its tip dragging the ground. He followed the gentle curve of the appendage up with his eyes, looking at the place where it met with his Master's tense lower back. He rubbed his soapy fingers over that spot, still not daring to touch his tail. Though Vegeta often touched his, Kakarrot refused to go too near the other's. This wasn't just a tail, it was the _prince's tail_.

Swallowing, Kakarrot closed his eyes as he worked. In his mind's eye, visions of technique the royal had exhibited flashed through his thought. That unforgivingly tight spandex clinging to those beautiful, honed, rippling muscles. His Master was truly a _beautiful_ man. His body matched exactly his character, both in stature and power. Finally, he concluded. _Master is quite the force to be reckoned with._

He looked down as the prince's strong appendage wrapped securely around his knee. Trying to avoid touching it, he slid his now soapy hands away from the small of Vegeta's back and began again rubbing his shoulders. He felt as relaxed as the prince was. The hot shower flowed over his back and shoulders, giving almost the same effect as a massage would. He soon noticed that Vegeta was purring, a deep, rumbling sound just like his voice. Before long, the combination of the deep purr, and massage from the water pounding against his back had him rumbling as well.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Raditz stared into his bowl of soup, avoiding both Vegeta and Kakarrot talking to each other animatedly across the heavily laden table. Every once in a while, the prince would glance over at him, saying nothing, but giving his a look that plainly said: _Just get it over with._

He sighed, sitting up a little straighter in his chair. The conversation between Vegeta and his brother died down enough so that he could take a deep breath and begin.

"Kakarrot,"

He looked up sharply, turning his head away from the bowl of noodles he was happily consuming. The teenager swallowed, first focusing upon the forlorn face of Raditz sitting before him, and then to the concerned expression settling over Vegeta.

"Is something wrong?"

Raditz sighed. _How does one begin? _Suddenly, Vegeta saved him.

"Kakarrot, do... Do you remember anything before becoming a slave?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, taking a large sip of water and crossing his legs lotus-style in his chair. "Not really, Master. The farthest back I can remember is that I grew up with other slaves. They all had collars, and we were trained to walk and talk by the masters there. Then, when I was..." He paused. "Maybe five, I think, I was sold to my first home."

Vegeta raised his eyebrows in shock. "Do you know where this was?"

"No, I don't think so. I was really young." He mumbled, looking ashamed.

"It's alright, I was just wondering." The prince assured.

"Did they ever tell you anything about where they got you from?" Raditz asked, diving for the opening in the conversation.

The young man puzzled for a bit, considering the question carefully. "No..." He took a dumpling from his plate and ate it, thinking intently as he chewed. Raditz wished he knew how to be as calm as Kakarrot was acting, but then again, he didn't know what Raditz did. "I asked once. They yelled at me, saying that '_Slaves don't have family!_' I got beaten for it, and so I didn't ask again."

"Wait, how old we're you when this happened?"

"Almost five, I think. It was the year before I was sold, I remember that much."

Raditz grit his teeth, staring down at his plate. How could Kakarrot speak so calmly about abuse like that? The boy looked up, suddenly concerned.

"Why do you ask?"

He steeled himself, running through the motions of his mind as to how to say it. Finally, with a deep, sighing breath, he answered. "Because... We... We found out who your parents were."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot stared at him, taking in the sight of Raditz, fidgeting uncomfortably on the side of the table directly opposite from him.

"What?" He asked, still unable to completely comprehend what the man had implied.

"I know what happened to your family, Kakarrot. It was the same thing that happened to mine."

The younger man shook his head, looking at the long-haired guard with big, round eyes. "No, you must be mistaken. I don't have family."

Raditz pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. "I know, Kakarrot. It was hard for me at first too."

Kakarrot shook his head, fighting with himself over what to believe. "Wha-what do you mean?"

His mind reeled. _No, I've always been a slave... They sent me away as a baby because I was a scar to the family name... That was the reason many of the other slaves were there. Sent away by their families for the crime of being born weak._ He bit his lip, watching as Raditz steeled himself.

The guard groaned, putting his face in his hands. "It's a long story."

~•~

Author's Notes:

Sorry to leave you guys on a cliffhanger, but more about this will be revealed next chapter, I swear!

Now, let me take a moment to thank you all for your continued support of my story. Collared is my first fanfic, and the first piece of writing I have ever released to an actual audience. It means more to me that I can express that you would take time out of your day to actually _read_ it. Thank you all so much, you make doing this not only a part of life, but a real joy.

-Shikatoki


	14. Chapter 14

Author's Notes:

The conclusion to the story Raditz started last chapter. Feel free to PM me questions!

**Chapter Fourteen:**

"My father was not mated to my mother. I was born out of a night of passion, not from love." He whispered, staring at the table. "It didn't really upset me. I'm glad I was born, and never hated my father, Bardock, for not loving my mother. He had cared for her out of obligation, showing her respect she deserved for bearing him a strong son."

Vegeta stared at him from across the dish-strewn table. He had known Raditz for years, and had yet not heard of him speak of his family on more than three occasions. It was a shock to hear him speak about them now. Really, he had expected the big man to just say "I'm your brother." and leave, but it seemed that Raditz wanted it done right.

"I don't really remember her anyway. She was strong, but eventually died in battle when I was three years old."

Kakarrot and Vegeta both made sounds of apology, without interrupting the flow of the large man's story. At least that was an honorable death for a Saiyan.

"I don't look much like my father." He smiled a little at the tabletop. "From what Bardock said, I look a lot more like my mother than him." The smile faded. "When I was very young, I was sent off for training, without much contact to or from my father. It wasn't that he didn't care, but he really wasn't the parenting type. Not when I was young, anyway."

Vegeta nodded. He had asked around about Bardock since Raditz had mentioned his name Kakarrot's first night at the palace. He had been a warrior, had his own squad, and was efficient at his job- even until the day he died.

"As a boy, I had shown promise, and so was taken in to be trained as an elite, later to become a personal guard to Prince Vegeta." He whispered, nodding his head in the prince's direction as his gaze turned up. Long locks of black hair slipped, shifting to fall to one side of his masculine face. "When I was about eleven years old, though, I got word from him. Bardock had found another. A love."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

"I remember the only time I ever met her. She had long, blue-black hair, mostly just springy, loose curls that she had tucked behind her ears. She was pale, and very pretty. And she treated me well when I met her, though I couldn't stay long." He looked up at Kakarrot, then. "She had a sharp chin, dark brown eyes, and a very round belly." His gaze wandered about the teenager's face. "My father had been hugging her shoulders as I walked to greet them, looking happier than I had ever seen him. It almost broke my heart." He didn't understand back then, not until he met Chiva, had a love of his own. "That woman completed him. They were mates."

"A-and she was pregnant?" Kakarrot asked, confirming.

"Yes, they told me that I would soon have a brother." He vividly remembered placing his hand over his mate-mother's round stomach, feeling the power radiating from the child growing inside. That was partially why he was so surprised and confused at the DNA results. The child inside her, not even born yet, had had a power higher than that of Kakarrot... But the results did not lie. It was the same boy.

When he thought about it, he could see the similarities between his mate-mother and Kakarrot. He had Bardock's skin tone and hair, but his mother's sharp chin and ears, not to mention the _exact_ same eyes. He looked much more like their father than Raditz did.

"After that, I had to leave. I went back to training, but got no more word from my father, or mate-mother... Until I got the letter." He remembered what had happened. He got a letter. Just a letter. "It explained that my brother died just hours after birth. It was written by my father, as my mate-mother was still too distraught by the experience. All signs had pointed to a healthy, strong birth, but it was not to be had." Raditz looked at his hands, clenching them into fists as he continued. "I never heard much word from either of them after that. I had grown used to it."

He looked up from where he had been staring to instead scrutinize the far wall with his unfocused vision.

"Then, six years ago, Bardock died in battle." His throat seized up. "_Honorably_. But, once again, I only had a letter to tell me the news." His face was dry. He had cried enough times over this, and _refused _to show weakness like that in front of Prince Vegeta and his younger brother. "I was orphaned. Completely and totally. Because Bardock and my mate-mother had been bonded, the second his heard stopped beating, so had hers. They both died at the same instant... I didn't even get to say goodbye." He sighed, clenching his jaw to keep it from trembling.

He looked up. Kakarrot had pulled his knees up to his chest, looking like he wanted to cry. His tail had unwrapped from his waist, and was now being gently stroked by Vegeta, who was listening intently. It struck him that the prince had never heard him talk about this.

Vegeta had given him as long as he needed to grieve, back those six years ago. He had only been twenty-one. Raditz wished he had known Chiva back then, to have something to combat the aching loneliness that had seeped in all those years ago. His mother, father, mate-mother, and brother were all dead. Just dead. He had no one but himself, and the prince he was charged with protecting.

Now, though... He had one of them back. Kakarrot, the brother he had never known was alive. He looked so much like their father is was almost an ache, but it was also a sweet reminder of that stern man. Though he had no ki, Kakarrot was still powerful in his own way, something Raditz could be proud of. A collared child in the family was seen by many as a disgrace, but to Raditz, that collar meant nothing. All he cared about was his brother.

"But, then, just recently, I discovered something."

When he didn't continue, Kakarrot looked up, asking. "Wh-what?"

"You were alive." Raditz whispered, finally meeting Kakarrot's terrified, dark brown eyes. "When I first met my mate-mother, she said her baby would be a boy... And they would name him Kakarrot."

"N-no..."

"I guess... I guess when you were born, the doctors took and collared you." His throat clenched shut as he tried to speak. "They lied to us to keep us from finding you... We wouldn't go looking for you if you were dead."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot shook his head in disbelief. _This can't be._ His mind insisted.

"They didn't want me." He whispered brokenly, a tear running down his face as he spoke. "They may have lied to you, Raditz... But my masters told me my parents sent me away because I was a disgrace to the family name, just like all the oth-"

"That's not true." The large man growled.

Kakarrot's head turned up in shock.

"My father may not have paid much interest in me, Kakarrot, but don't judge his character by that. He _loved _your mother. Any child from that union would have been precious to them. They were lied to, so was I, and so were _you_."

"But..."

"No buts. They loved you... I just wish they had lived to see who you grew up to be."

His chest ached as he slumped forward, placing his elbows onto the tops of his knees and letting his head fall into them. This went against everything he had ever been told. His family had... Loved him? Before they died, anyway. What another sick twist of fate- his loving family dying before he could ever meet them. _But... There's still a part of my family here..._

"So... So you're my... Brother?"

The long-haired bodyguard nodded. "Half brother."

The strokes Vegeta was giving to his tail were a distant sensation compared to the turmoil racing through him. He had had a family, but was stripped of it before he had ever been allowed to know them. He had been collared and sent away to be a tool for others, never allowed to meet his mother or father. But... He still had his brother. Raditz looked as upset as he felt. He wasn't the only one suffering here, the man across from him was going through a lot too. It was selfish to sit here, upset at his own predicament when Raditz was working through the same thing. In fact, Raditz had been through _more _in this issue. He had had his whole family up and _die_around him. Kakarrot had grown up without a family to lose. But now, they each had a piece. A tiny, simple, strong link to each other, a blood pact between brothers.

Kakarrot rose from his chair, politely extricating his tail from Prince Vegeta's reassuring grip. He circled around the table, head slightly bowed as he approached Raditz. He bit his lip to keep from crying. He could feel the miserable aura emanating from his brother, but admired how well he kept up his facade of calm. Finally, Kakarrot hunched before him, Raditz standing to greet him there. He looked up with tear-stained cheeks at the man towering over him. Those long, black locks hung heavily around his masculine jaw. Raditz was right, they didn't look much alike. But, when he searched deeply, he could see the gentle family resemblance... The same nose, similar skin, dark black hair. He bit harder on his lip as he fought to say what he needed to.

"Th-thank you for telling me this... Brother."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Raditz watched as Kakarrot squeezed his eyes shut. He looked so young right then... Maybe it was that the long-haired man himself just felt very old at that moment. He sighed deeply, taking in the look of the reddened cheeks, glistening with the few tears that had managed to spill past thick, dark lashes. His mop of shaggy, black hair fell in front of his face, the exact same way Bardock's had, the tops of his ears peeking through it to show that it was indeed his brother before him, not just a younger version of his father.

Cautiously, Raditz reached a hand forward, placing it on one of Kakarrot's chiseled shoulders. He squeezed reassuringly as the teenager opened his dark brown eyes.

"You're welcome, Kakarrot... I know it's a lot to take in. I've had a while to begin to get used to the possibility. I know you'll need some time."

His younger brother looked up at him, seemingly taking control of his raging emotions. They sighed, staring intently into each other's dark gazes. The teenager reached his own arm towards him, placing it upon the large man's shoulder as well, completing a link. Then, slowly, Kakarrot fell against his chest, both arms hugging tightly around his waist as he struggled to speak.

"I-I'm glad I-I have a b-brother, Raditz." He choked against the front of the large man's chest-plate.

The older brother sighed. "So am I."

~•~ Time Lapse ~•~

The dinner ended pleasurably, with simple questions and chitchat from all sides. Kakarrot could feel the warmth of familiarity from both men, and treasured the sensation as the cold dinner finally finished almost an hour later, empty dishes glittering sully in the expansive room. Raditz had smirked playfully as he left, clasping arms with Vegeta and then ruffling his younger brother's hair before leaving through the tall door.

"I'm exhausted." Vegeta grumbled. Kakarrot nodded agreeably.

His Master pulled him lightly by the tail into the bedchamber. They had both showered before dinner, and so would not need to bathe again tonight. The fireplace was roaring, but did little to warm the cold, stone and metal room. He watched Vegeta slip into his favorite nightshirt, yawning widely as he crossed over to his bed. The younger male smiled as he pulled off his own, leaving only his comfortable, black pants. He picked up both sets of discarded clothes, throwing them down a chute in the wall.

Kakarrot could hear the bustling of servants in the other room, clearing dishes as quietly as possible. He shut the door, and turned out the light, walking over in the slight illumination from the moonlight slanting through Vegeta's high, bedchamber windows. Even in that dim glow, he could see his breath fogging in the wintery night air.

"Goodnight." They both said in sleepy unison as they took their positions.

The fireplace was too far away to reach the biting cold bedside where he would lay at night. Kakarrot never complained, though. He liked sleeping beside Vegeta's bed. Curling up soundly, he crossed his arms and lay on his stomach, trying to preserve whatever vestige of warmth he had. The carpet reflected some of it back, much better than what his pallet at the inn used to, though his back still remained cold. All was still in the tired silence, and Kakarrot shivered into sleep.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Vegeta crawled into bed, reveling in the warmth his blankets gave him. It was cold in the room, and he was eager to get to sleep. He heard the lights click off, just like they always did, and then the gentle thump of Kakarrot curling on the carpet beside his bed. What he wasn't used to hearing, was the sound of chattering teeth. He opened his eyes, turning his head so that it hung off the edge. Kakarrot looked _freezing_. His arms were folded up under him, apparently to preserve what was left of his body heat. Vegeta growled, the young man deserved more than this, but every time he offered him a blanket or a bed, he refused. Politely, but still refused.

Suddenly, an idea struck him. He smirked, leaning onto an elbow and whispering into the cold night air.

"Kakarrot."

The young man started, stiffening to awareness as he heard his name. "Yes, Master?"

"I am absolutely sweltering." He complained. "I really need something to cool me down."

"Would you like an ice pack?" He asked innocently.

The prince mentally rolled his eyes. _Great, now how will I convince him?_ "Well... I'll need something that will stay cold for a little while, but heat up as I go to sleep..." He muttered.

Kakarrot pondered for a moment.

"You look pretty cold, Kakarrot." The prince smiled, eyes narrowing. "Could you help cool me down?" He asked, smirking in triumph at his own brilliance.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot stared up at him, rolling over onto his back so he didn't have to crane his neck to get a look atop the bed. He saw the prince's smirk for what it was, and twisted his mouth a little as he contemplated a polite way to refuse. It wasn't his place to sleep on the bed. For that matter, it wasn't really even his place to sleep in Vegeta's room. But, it was a request, even if it was not proper, his Master had asked it of him. He nodded a little, sitting up.

"Of course, Master."

Vegeta's smirk widened as he scooted over to allow Kakarrot room to slide in. He did so, groaning involuntarily as the warm sheets contacted his freezing skin. He huffed a breath, watching it again cloud in the silvery moonlight as he snuggled in more deeply to the silky blankets. It was a wonder he wasn't asleep already with how wonderful this bed felt. It was a thousand times softer and warmer than the guest beds at the inn. He sighed contentedly, smiling a little.

"Better, Master?" He asked.

Vegeta grinned. "Much."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Raditz walked carefully down the halls of the female guards' quarters. He wasn't strictly _allowed_ in this wing of the palace, but that didn't stop him. Strictly speaking, Chiva wasn't allowed in his. If they went to each other's rooms, it was in the dead of night, and then they often left in the early hours of the morning. It was a wonder they had been able to carry on this way for three years... They were only caught once, by Elry. She was the only one that knew of their mating, and always kept it secret for them. The two female guards were like sisters, so Raditz rested securely in the thought that their love was safe.

He crossed the expansive, ornate hall of the wing, making sure to tread lightly on the stone floor. Carefully, he arrived at a metal door, one he knew so well he could have found it in his sleep. He smiled, looking at the tiny, almost unnoticeable little scratch at just about eye level. It was put there one night when he had bumped a little too hard into the door while entering, the side of his green scouter leaving the smallest of marks on its shiny surface. He ran his thumb delicately over it before softly knocking. He flared his ki for a second, just enough to let her know who it was. Even without their scouters, Raditz and Chiva knew each other's ki like the backs of their own hands. Since mating, it became almost one-in-the-same. He could _feel_ her on the other side of the door, her power fluctuating gently as she moved to pull the door open. She smiled at him, stepping aside quickly to let him into her room.

She was wearing nothing but one of his baggy shirts. He smiled at the alluring sight, her tiny frame in only the loose, cotton, dark-blue fabric. It draped off of her almost comically, hiding as much of her exquisite physique as it showed. Pert nipples created twin bumps over the swell of each breast, making a tiny tent of fabric on either side where they stood erect in the freezing night air. When she didn't sleep naked, she always wore something of his. She said she always slept better with him there, and since they had not planned upon meeting tonight, Chiva had worn his shirt so that she could have his scent carry her into sleep. He smirked at her, removing his wrist guards and placing them on her table.

"Hello, love." She smiled, rubbing one of her dark eyes with the back of her left hand. "What brings you here?"

His smirk faded a little as he began stripping off his lightweight armor pieces. "I just broke the news to Kakarrot."

She cooed sympathetically, helping to hold his long, black locks out of the way as he pulled off his chest-plate. "How did he take it?"

Raditz sighed, toeing off his boots and placing them beside the door. "Shocked, mostly. But he just needs time, I think. He seemed happy by the time I left."

He was in nothing now but his pair of black, spandex shorts. She smiled, pulling him close and burying her tiny head into the spot just between his pectorals and abs. She sighed against him, a sweet, loving, understanding sound that made his heart swell.

"He'll understand, Raditz." She whispered. "Kakarrot will know very soon how lucky he is to have such an amazing man for a brother."

Raditz grinned, looking down at the top of her choppy, dark, red hair. _Oh, by the gods, I love her._ He brushed his fingertips lovingly up and down across her back, completely smooth, but for the few scars that he delicately traced along it through the dark fabric. _What is a warrior without scars? And what is Chiva, if not a warrior?_ He rested his chin atop her head, mouth pressed over a lock of hair. He inhaled her scent deeply, savoring the sweet smell unique only to his mate.

"Chiva?" He whispered against the top of her head.

She pressed her face deeper into his bare chest. "Yes, my love?"

"Could I just hold you tonight?"

He felt her smile warmly against his skin before she turned her face up to his. She landed a sweet, chaste kiss on his lips, fluttering her lashes closed as he pulled her tighter against him. Her dark, beautiful eyes opened again, gazing intently into his.

"Of course."


	15. Chapter 15

Author's Notes:

Warnings: Lime at the end of this chapter. Like, heavy lime. Heavy, _yaoi_ lime. You have been warned.

**Chapter Fifteen:**

Things had finally settled into a pleasurable routine. Life at the palace had slowed down considerably, and certainly for the better. As promised, Kakarrot almost never left his side, apart from when the prince was forced to attend court or deal with his father. The king had no idea the teenager was any more than his servant, and Vegeta wanted it kept that way.

Every day, he and Kakarrot would spar. The young man was getting better by the minute, too, though his ki never changed. Vegeta had hoped, at first, that he would be able to help him to get enough power to fly, but ki seemed to work very differently with Kakarrot.

Any Saiyan -no matter how weak at birth- would have their power nearly double every time they experienced near-fatal trauma. Kakarrot, though, had _grown up_ with almost constant trauma, and suffered near-fatal events several times in his life. But still, his power remained constantly the same. In fact, it seemed to have gone down. He was told as a child he had a power level of five, but now he only clocked in at three! It was plausible that his old master had been rounding to the nearest number, but not likely if he was seeking to humiliate the boy.

In one training session, almost three weeks ago, Vegeta had tried feeding Kakarrot ki. It was a disorienting experience... It was like, the second the power left his hands and sunk into the younger man's being, it was just... Gone. Like, somehow, Kakarrot was a void in the existence of energy. It was more than odd, such a physically powerful young man would have such devastatingly low power. Still, he was no less of a warrior for his almost nonexistent ki. _He's a walking contradiction, Kakarrot. _The prince thought, smiling a little to himself. They didn't try feeding him energy again after that, just embraced his physical, strong, fighting nature.

He was constantly amazed at the younger man's intellect, both inside and outside of fighting. He was a natural, all tensed muscles and fluid grace. The way his chest heaved, scars stretching and shrinking against its muscled surface after a fall or a well-aimed blow. He had put on more weight, and his frame was now completely filled out, his ribs and spine obscured handsomely by the layer of fat. From being inside more, Kakarrot's tan was now a few shades lighter, but it was not an unpleasant change. The slightly lighter skin color contrasted richly with his black hair and larger frame. His muscles had since become more defined as well, making him look not only becoming, but intimidating apart from the playful nature he naturally exerted.

Ever since that night, a month or so ago, the cold had only intensified. This was only to be expected, as both the cold and hot seasons were nearly legendary on Vegetasei. Since the weather only proved to worsen, Vegeta found that he had Kakarrot sleeping beside him every night. It felt good, curled up so closely to someone in the cold-season chill. At first, he had needed to make up an excuse for Kakarrot to share the bed with him. Over the past week, though, the young man had climbed in of his own free will, treating at as normally as he did back when he slept on the floor.

Now that he thought of it, Vegeta saw how much he needed Kakarrot. The teenager was captivating, and was more of a friend to him than anyone he had ever met. Possibly even the first true friend he had ever had. Truthfully, the prince wondered where he would be had he never found the young man in that alleyway. But, now he had been by the royal's side for over a month, he couldn't imagine palace life without him.

Kakarrot had told him much of what life was like as a slave, but didn't go too deeply into detail about the rape. What he had found out about that sickened him even now, weeks after the young man had told him. Kakarrot had been used almost every night, sometimes several times a night. It was always men, and they weren't always Saiyan. Not to be unexpected, as there were many other alien species that would come to Vegetasei for one reason or another, but the thought of people harming Kakarrot set his blood to boiling nonetheless. It didn't matter who or what they were, just that they would do such despicable things to Kakarrot that set his teeth on edge.

Vegeta sighed, stretching luxuriously under the sheets, and feeling the reassuring presence of Kakarrot behind his back. That first night, each man had stayed far to one side, but as the weeks progressed, they subconsciously came closer and closer together, reveling in the other's warmth. Typically, the two would sleep back-to-back, except for when they were conversing, that was. When they talked at night, sometimes into the early hours of the morning, they would lie either on their backs or face-to-face. Vegeta couldn't remember ever being so close to someone. Not just physically near someone, either. He had never in his life shared a bed with anyone, but this closeness was deeper than just physical proximity.

Yes, he had Raditz. However, that friendship was set in a different tone, and operated by a wholly different set of rules. The relationship Vegeta had with Kakarrot... One may as well have thrown the rule book out the window.

He enjoyed being able to just lie beside Kakarrot and speak with him, something he shared with no one else, and truly wanted to share with no one else. He was able to speak his mind, and say things he wished to change about Vegetasei that before he had not even dreamed of. They spoke of the past, and the present, but mostly about the future. For the first time in his life, Vegeta was able to see himself as one day being king. And, with the younger man's insistence, he now knew he could be so without needing to follow the ways of his father. That alone was a relief to understand.

The exuberant teenager was frighteningly smart, and an incredibly good listener. _But he's also so much more than that..._ Vegeta thought, huffing a short breath through his nose.

The lithe prince was realizing more and more how _unlike_ master and servant they were. When he was truthful with himself, he knew Kakarrot was _not _a servant. But, selfishly, he made the younger man keep that title. _My father surely would not approve of being so close to such a low class, like that even matters_. Prince Vegeta was far past due for a Royal Playmate, as he had not wanted one as a child. Though he was now far too old to claim Kakarrot as one, he wanted to. _That would draw father's attention... I can't risk it. _He thought sadly. As of right then, there was nothing the prince could deeply in the sleepy contentedness of his usually cloudy thoughts, Vegeta just settled deeper into the warm sheets, back pressed to his gently snoring best friend, Kakarrot.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot smiled, following contentedly behind Vegeta on their way to spar. Chiva walked beside them, a bag of spare clothes thrown over her shoulder. It was easier to just take a spare set with them, even if they didn't always use it. She smiled, situating the strap a little better so that I didn't cut so badly into her arm. He had offered to carry it, but she insisted.

"So, what is this court meeting you need to have after our workout, Master?" Kakarrot asked lightly as they strolled down one of the many halls.

The prince sighed, rounding a corner with them in tow. "Lord Frieza is paying us a visit." He growled. "I can't say I'm looking forward to it."

"Am I to accompany you, then?"

The prince shook his head. "No, Kakarrot. I'd rather deal with Frieza and my father myself." He quirked the tiniest of smiles, glancing back over his shoulder. "Thank you, though."

They arrived at their usual sparring rooms, a large training gym with mats, stone walls, and all kinds of metal equipment. Kakarrot followed Vegeta in, smiling as he saw his brother sitting along the far wall. Finally, he had gotten used to the idea of Raditz being family, and treasured it. His brother was a good man, and always had a kind word for him, even if the conversation was brief. He grinned at him, waving as Raditz' eyes found the tall, young man standing beside the older, shorter prince.

"Kakarrot," Vegeta smirked, catching his attention. "why don't you go speak to Raditz while I ki train with Chiva?"

The younger man smiled, nodding with a delighted: "Sure." and crossing to the wall his brother leaned against.

"Morning, Kakarrot."

"Morning, Raditz." He grinned, mimicking his brother's posture, though the effect was somewhat lost without the armor and scowl the other wore.

They stayed that way for a while, watching as Chiva gave Vegeta a run for his money. She was a powerful woman, and always as kind to him as his brother was. Chiva was nearly sisterly, as was Elry when she came enough out of the shadows. She wasn't with them today, as she was sleeping in preparation for guard duty that night, but he was certain she too would have enjoyed watching Chiva spar.

Vegeta was holding back, and they all knew it, but they enjoyed watching Chiva attempt to beat him nonetheless. The prince was incredible with ki, his fighting ability many times advanced by the jump in power. His heart ached a little to know that it was something he and his Master could never be able to share. Energy was a mystery to Kakarrot, and just simply didn't apply to him for some reason or another. The episode of a few weeks ago was only proof of that.

The silence between the two brothers was comfortable, and they were both content to let it continue, until the teenager remembered something he'd been meaning to ask Raditz.

"Brother?"

"Hm?"

"How long have you and Chiva been mated?"

~•~ POV Change ~•~

"Wh-what are you talking about?" He stammered, eyes wide.

Raditz was sure his heart stopped. There he was, calmly sitting beside Kakarrot, when he was blindsided by the most innocently asked question he had ever heard. _None but Elry knows of our mating... How could Kakarrot have found out?!_

He knew he had paused for too long, and his muscles tensing in shock and surprise were dead giveaways, but he still tried to brush it off.

"We're n-not..."

"It had to have been for a while..." His younger brother muttered to himself, effectively cutting the older man off.

Raditz went pale. _Dammit, why does he have to be so smart?_ "What makes you think that?" He asked, finally gaining enough control not to stutter.

"Well... It's pretty obvious. You two always have hickeys at the same time. Chiva smells a lot like you, especially in the morning. You two... I don't know, it's like you always know where the other is. And the way you look at her..." The teen sighed.

Raditz stared. Since when was his brother an expert on mating? He and Chiva had long hair, which they always kept on their necks to hide the hickeys. It seemed that Kakarrot was either more observant than most, or they were getting careless. He swallowed hard.

"Who have you told?" He asked in a hoarse whisper, hoping to get the worst out of the way.

Kakarrot turned, looking deeply at him. A little crease appeared between his thick, black eyebrows as he answered. "No one. I knew you didn't want anyone else to know... But I don't know why. I was just wondering how long it's been."

Raditz let out a sigh of relief, slumping against the wall as his tensed muscles gave out suddenly. "Thank the gods." He mumbled.

"So...?"

Raditz looked over at him, deciding whether or not to tell his younger brother. Not even Vegeta knew he and Chiva were mates... But, since Kakarrot already knew, he didn't see the harm in explaining the situation. He was proud to have Chiva as his mate, and did not wish for his brother to get the wrong impression of his feelings.

"Two years."

The younger man raised his eyebrows. "Wow, that's less than I had expected."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, you two seem a lot more connected than most people. I thought it took longer to establish that kind of bond." He quirked a frown at his older brother. "Why don't you want anyone to know?"

Raditz sighed, rubbing a hand over his face as he watched the prince and his love spar to the side. "Well..." He began, thinking how best to phrase his answer. "We're not really... Allowed to be."

Kakarrot gaped, staring at him with an almost outraged look of incredulity. "Why would anyone not want you to be mated?"

"Keep it down, will you?!" Raditz growled, trying to keep his voice low in the echo-prone room. Still, the older man's heart swelled at his younger brother's attitude. Kakarrot seemed almost as angry as he was that he was not able to voice his love.

"Sorry... But still, why?"

Raditz chuckled a little, looking at his brother out of the corner of his eye. The pleasant sound faded, however, when he began to answer. "Finding a mate is a rare thing..." He whispered, staring at his hands. "When two people become mates, they are bonded together... Forever. You can't mate with just anyone, either. It's a deep, personal, _rare_ phenomenon. That was what happened with your mother and our father."

Kakarrot nodded, listening intently. He had explained as much before, but never really delved into it.

"The mates' life force, ki, blood, and even their very _being_ is permanently linked to the other Saiyan. They combine together, one cannot exist without the other. It's like one soul with two bodies. When one mate dies, both do." He reached up a hand, pulling off his green-shielded scouter and fiddling with it in his large hands. "King Vejiita would likely kill us for becoming such a liability..."

"How is that a liability?"

"Because, think about it... If Prince Vegeta was in trouble, and someone killed me, that would also kill Chiva. They'd get two guards for the price of one." His heart ached at the thought of that possibility. Even saying "kill" and his mate's name in the same sentence made him want to scream in anguish.

"It's still wrong. You'd never let something like that happen, and neither would Chiva. Besides, you're a lot stronger because you're mated, aren't you?"

Raditz grinned, turning his head to face his brother's wide, dark brown eyes. "Yes, that's a very positive effect of the mating bond." He fiddled with the scouter a little more before continuing. "When we became bonded, our ki... Merged. It's like, when I draw on my power, draw on hers too. That's part of why Chiva's and my energy levels are so high... They're the same ki."

Kakarrot nodded dumbly, looking a little shocked. He didn't really understand the workings of energy, and so his older brother thought to explain in a more simplistic manner.

"Imagine that there's this big... Reservoir... Where both of our energies mixed together. It's in both of us at once, but when I take some, it takes the same amount from Chiva. So, my power alone is double that of normal, but if we are both fighting, we are each at out usual strengths." Raditz considered, choosing his words carefully. "It's just a theory, but I think it's some sort of protection mechanism. Let's say one of us got knocked out, that would leave the bond open, giving the energy of both to the mate still standing. That way they would have that much more power to protect their fallen mate."

"Can you use each other's power without one of you being unconscious?" The teen asked curiously.

Raditz nodded over to the action happening just a few yards away. "To do that attack, Chiva drew on both of our energy, making it stronger than normal and harder for Vegeta to dodge. She would have been winded long before this point if she wasn't taking from the reservoir."

"How can you do that?" The younger brother asked in fascination.

"Second nature, I guess." He shrugged.

"And it's been this way for two years?"

Raditz only nodded, and then smiled a little. It was hard not to smile when Chiva was the subject of their conversation.

His younger brother smiled as well, his eyes crinkling delightfully as he took in the sight of Raditz' masculine face. "I'm happy for you, big brother." He finally decided. "Your secret is safe with me."

He nodded appreciatively, ruffling Kakarrot's ridiculously messy spikes. "Thanks, kid."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

After finishing their conversation, Raditz and Kakarrot had decided to spar. His brother wasn't as much of a challenge as Vegeta, but it was still a strenuous and enjoyable battle. By the time Chiva and Vegeta had had their fill of ki training, they walked over to where the brothers fought, shouting out tips to the pair.

"Good one, kid!" Chiva shouted gleefully when he avoided a powerful punch his brother had aimed. "Now go for his knees!"

"Whose side are you guys on?" His frustrated older brother shouted, gritting his teeth at the expert kick Kakarrot had landed to his right thigh.

"The winning one, obviously. I'd be on your side if Kakarrot wasn't kicking your ass so badly." Vegeta smirked, groaning and then laughing heartily when Kakrrot accidentally kicked Raditz in the groin.

His brother crumpled to the mat, cursing loudly as the younger man apologized profusely. "Godsdammit, Kakarrot! You fight dirty!"

"You moved, my aim was off! It-it was an accident, I swear!" He rushed.

"I told you to wear your armor!" Chiva shouted, giggling uncontrollably.

Still doubled over, the prince was only barely able to shout. "You'd better not try that one on me, Kakarrot!" before dissolving into a fit of laughter again.

A tiny giggle finally escaping his lips, the younger man walked over to his brother, offering a hand. Raditz glared up at him, but took it without any further complaint. After that, Chiva and Raditz each went off to take separate showers, his brother still glaring half-heatedly at the unintimidated teen.

"Did he wear you out?" His Master asked, stretching an arm over his head to loosen the tight muscle.

"Kinda, but I'm still up for a spar with you if you'd like."

"Actually, I would." Vegeta considered, now stretching the other arm. "But seriously, don't try that on me." He growled jokingly.

Kakarrot giggled, grabbing a pitcher of water and filling two glasses. He handed one of them to the prince before downing his own in two, large gulps. "Sounds good."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

_Gods, was he not winded at all by Raditz?_ Vegeta wondered, dodging the flurry of punches Kakarrot threw at him. He seemed entirely revitalized, redoubling his efforts to knock the lithe prince down. He didn't really hold back any longer when he sparred with the younger man- he couldn't afford to. All he needed to do was be mindful not to fly or send a ki blast. Other than that, it was a battle of wills, tactic, and talent.

His leg struck out, messing up Kakarrot's form, causing him to topple. He instinctively curled into a ball, flowing with the kick until he regained his feet and sprung back up with a violent hit to the prince's upper arm. _I've never even used that technique with him! _Vegeta thought, amazed.

While the prince was distracted Kakarrot took a solid, deep breath, curling his tail more tightly around his waist. With a sudden, powerful spin, sweat-slicked muscles rippled as his elbow thrust back. It hurtled towards Vegeta, aimed directly to the center of his chest. Even as he saw it coming, Vegeta would be hard-pressed to avoid it. He twisted his upper body out of the way, viciously kicking out the back of the younger man's knees as he went. The elbow caught off its mark, but still managed to hit hard over the top of his right shoulder.

The force of the blow sent him reeling backward, landing heavily on his rear on the training mat. Kakarrot crumpled as well, his knees hitting the ground with jarring force, leaning forward so as not to crush the prince's leg. He went to his hands and knees, panting heavily from the exertion exhibited in the intense spar. Neither got back up, both with the understanding that this was plenty for the day.

After a few seconds of stunned silence and heavy breathing, the prince turned his head. The sight of Kakarrot greeted him, sprawled on the ground directly to his left. He had his elbows bent so that his bare chest was now touching the training mat below them. Vegeta blushed at the position he had struck, end up in the air and tail curled playfully above his muscled back. He cleared his throat noncommittally, trying forcibly to get his thoughts away from where they were inevitably drifting.

The younger man's head turned, then shamelessly split into a giddy, adrenaline-fueled grin. Vegeta laughed, regretting it almost immediately when he felt one of his bruised ribs protest. Kakarrot popped up, spinning around until he was comfortably sitting lotus-style before the still very winded prince. Wincing a little, he inspected his throbbing calf, poking at the sensitive area Vegeta had expertly hit.

"Ouch, nice one."

The prince slowly stood, the customary, confident smirk splitting across his handsome face. "I could say the same." He grunted, reaching out a hand and grabbing Kakarrot's offered wrist to pull him up, huffing. "That was one hell of a spar."

"Heh, it sure was!"

Their battle had lasted over an hour, and Raditz had already vacated the wing to gets some sleep before standing guard that night. The prince glanced over to the clock hanging from the far wall, amazed at how the time had flown. His meeting wouldn't take place for another two hours, and so the prince judged he could relax a while before entering the stressful meeting. With a jerk if his head, Vegeta indicated the shower at the back of the sparring room, Kakarrot nodding and wrapping his tail about the prince's wrist to pull him over.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

They stepped into the shower anteroom, the one they typically used in this side of the palace. Immediately, both men began stripping out of their sweaty clothes, sighing from both relief and discomfort at the feeling of cool, wintery air hitting heated skin. Little bruises and bumps became visible, but the worst of each was the spot over Vegeta's shoulder, and the back of Kakarrot's calf. The younger man took a look at each, groaning a little in appreciation of the hard hits as he removed the crimson sash from his waist.

With a long sigh, Vegeta suddenly began stretching, loosening his shoulders and curling his brown tail in a long, graceful arc. "Nyh." He grunted, expelling a puff of air and watching it cloud in the cold room.

The puddle of fabric around their feet was summarily shoved aside, allowing the prince more room to move his powerful body. He leaned forward at the waist, almost bent entirely in half, grabbing his own ankle. Vegeta let out a groan of relief as the muscle lengthened, turning to do the same on the other side.

Kakarrot averted his eyes, cheeks flushing brightly at the provocative pose Vegeta inadvertently struck. The room suddenly seemed _much_ hotter than when he had first entered.

"Kakarrot, how about you heat up the shower?" Prince Vegeta breathed, listening to his joints popping back into place.

Fumbling for an answer, the younger man gestured, blushing to the roots of his black hair. "Um, sure, Master." He gulped, turning quickly to do as bidden. _I shouldn't be thinking such things..._ He reprimanded himself, finally shedding the pair of black pants he had neglected to remove. Looking down, the young man silently cursed, catching sight of his stirring arousal.

He reached the shower room itself, smaller than the anteroom by about a third. The walls glittered wetly, casting little sparkles here and there on the tile from the light flowing down from the ceiling overhead. He supposed it was still wet since this was the same room Raditz had just vacated almost an hour ago, likely not enough time to dry the black, tiled walls. He stepped in, turning the water on. Though he immediately turned the dial to hot, a freezing cold cascade showered down.

"Gods, that's cold!" He shouted, dancing out of its way as it began adjusting to a hotter, steadier stream.

Vegeta chuckled, walking up behind him to peer into the glittering shower room. Thick steam rose from the cascade, filling the darkly colored chamber. It hazed together with the ceiling light, giving the entire place a dreamlike quality. The prince stepped in, sighing in anticipation at the fall of comfortable-looking, hot water.

Kakarrot held an introductory arm to the side, gesturing exaggeratedly at the spot set up for him. The prince chuckled again, stepping forward and sitting down upon the stool he had dragged into the center, just below the cascade. His longish, deep brown hair flattened instantly, the water making the mass seem black. Prince Vegeta grumbled, pushing the wet strands out of his eyes as he heard Kakarrot shifting around behind him, still standing.

The teenager grabbed a bar of soap, lathering it in his wet hands before spreading the foam across Vegeta's body. The prince groaned, thanking the younger man as he vigorously scrubbed him clean, lifting an arm here and there when directed.

"Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere."

Kakarrot rolled his eyes before giggling. "Where does it hurt _worst_?"

"Nn, lower." He grunted.

Kakarrot nodded, though the prince couldn't see it being turned away from him. He worked steadily, running the flats of his palms across the prince's muscular form, working to both clean and massage while also making certain to avoid his swaying, brown tail.

The simple, relaxing task of cleaning his Master allowed his mind to wander. The time he had so far spent at the palace was likely the best he had ever experienced in his life. Though he knew it was not right for him to do so, he enjoyed sleeping in the prince's bed, curled up beneath the heated sheets. He liked having someone to confide in, talk to, listen to. They would talk a lot, sometimes late enough to see the beginnings of the sunrise. He didn't ever mind when they stayed up all night, though he hated to see Vegeta uncomfortably tired the next day.

His fingers unknotted bunches of tight, powerful muscle, making the royal's delicate tail twitch in response. He worked the lower back spreading the flats of his hands all the way from his spine to curl around the sides to his waist. The tail swung lazily, jolting a little every once in a while as he skimmed over another knot. The wet appendage twisted, curling around his leg when he rubbed over a particularly large bruise from their spar. Kakarrot's hands moved away immediately when the tail adjusted its position, massaging hurriedly upward to scrub at Vegeta's broad shoulders instead.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Vegeta purred contentedly as the younger man's strong fingers traced his tense back. He had noticed how reluctant Kakarrot was to touch his tail, immediately changing the massage from his lower back to his shoulders when the prince had moved it. Vegeta understood his reluctance, though. Control of a tail was control of a Saiyan. Vegeta never let _any_ but a medic touch his tail. But... Kakarrot was different. He tightened the dark brown length on Kakarrot's leg, speaking as he did so.

"Something wrong?"

"Um, well, Master?"

"Hn?" He rumbled.

The younger man swallowed. "Am... Am I allowed to touch your tail?" He asked sheepishly, hands stilling entirely.

Vegeta quirked an eyebrow up at him, turning to look over his shoulder. He was greeted with a set of rock-hard abdominals before looking up towards the confused face. "Of course you do." He stated, smirking a little. "You have my permission."

As he said this, Vegeta wrapped the tip around Kakarrot's stalled wrist. "Oh... Thank you." He whispered, experimentally running a finger through the dark brown fur.

"Don't worry," He breathed, letting out a long sigh at the hesitant, gentle approach. "I trust you.

Kakarrot's dark brown eyes twinkled as he more confidently ran a hand down the appendage. It was a long, slow, deliberate stroke. Vegeta's eyes fluttered closed, turning his head forward again. The lazy purr in his chest intensified, making the younger man's fingers vibrate with its intensity. He heard the sound of the soap being picked up again, and then felt a line run from the base at his back all the way to his tip. Immediately, strong, warm fingers began rubbing in the scented foam. The lather coated his wet tail, fingers traveling up and down, making the fur stand hard on end before being smoothed out again. He groaned a little at the sensation. It was no wonder Kakarrot had been so affected when he had been fixing his damaged tail all those weeks ago. The younger man was working gently, scrubbing out the sweat, while massaging the tight coil of muscle.

His thoughts roamed as the tall man worked. Kakarrot _was_ different. He was a natural fighter, with power in more than just muscle. He was smart, and picked up steps like he had known them his entire, short life. The way that chiseled chest rose and fell when he was knocked down, the way his sharp chin tucked into his chest out of instinct, the way his body moved all the time he fought, they were all second nature. He had an intimidating figure, with a delightfully disarming smile. He was so large, and also so very gentle, a fact only proven with how carefully the young man was handling the royal's sodden tail.

Vegeta squeezed his eyes shut tighter as Kakarrot made a particularly pleasurable pull, stretching a deep growl into the undertone of his purr. _Damn, he's good at this._ By the way he had asked about it, Vegeta doubted he had ever held another's tail before. At least not in this way. It was not likely he would have done something like this while working at the inn. This wasn't something done often- and certainly not by just anyone. Allowing another to handle your tail was a show of deep trust and respect. It was like handing someone both your greatest strength, and your most devastating weakness... If Vegeta didn't trust Kakarrot with that, he trusted no one at all. The young man gave his tail freely to no one but him. The prince treasured that selfless, almost blinding trust the teenager placed in him more than he cared to admit. It was all he could do to return the favor.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

In a way, they were both doing something for each other. It seemed like it was only Kakarrot giving pleasure to Vegeta, but it was both. Kakarrot received a special gift in being allowed to do something so personal with his Master. Vegeta not only said he could handle the royal's tail, but that he outright trusted him with it. _He trusts me._ That meant more to him than he could voice, and so he was content to just do his best to please the royal. He would do all he could not to break that trust.

He smoothed the fur again, pouring a handful of water over the end and stroking backwards down the whole length. Vegeta moaned, his shoulders slumping forward, but keeping his back mostly straight. There were some things one learned as a prince, and Vegeta had told him sitting up straight was one of them. _Does he ever relax?_

Kakarrot's wet, black spikes fell into his face as he crouched down onto the balls of his feet. This angle helped him to better adjust his grip on the powerful muscles at the base of Prince Vegeta's tail. Using both thumbs, he kneaded the area all around where it joined seamlessly with his sleek back. At the sound of a particularly enraptured moan, he fell to his knees, keeping the position that gave Vegeta the most satisfaction.

His Master was making tiny noises of pleasure, more than that of just a massage. The moans intensified, turning into heavy pants as he focused much of his attention on a small knot hidden beneath the fur on the underside of his Master's long, silky tail. In the thick steam of the shower, his sense of smell was heightened, arousal evidently permeating the tiled room. Closing his eyes, Kakarrot groaned. The scent wasn't only coming from Vegeta. He wasn't sure which had effected him more, the sight of the lithe, naked prince, or the moans he was making. Maybe it was both, but when he glanced down, he could tell for certain it was not only the prince's need he was sensing. He grit his teeth, sliding his hand all the way back to the quivering tip. He dared himself, peeking around to look at his Master's front. Kakarrot gulped, taking in the sight of Prince Vegeta's proud, pulsing erection. Automatically, he swallowed again, unable to keep his mouth from watering at the sight. _Should I stop? _The teen wondered. He steeled himself. _No, Vegeta saw me to completion, and so will I._

He stared, licking his lips, watching how every time his fingers moved along the furry length of the prince's dark brown appendage, his member twitched in response. He circled around on his knees, coming to rest in front of his Master, fingers never ceasing their kneading of the royal tail. He took a deep breath, looking up at the prince's darkly flushed face, eyes tightly shut. Carefully, he leaned forward, closing his dark brown eyes. He could smell the musk rising from the prince. He could sense his need for release, as his own was just as strong. Beautiful, pink lips opened, ready to envelop Vegeta's aching member in a hot, wet, welcome mouth.

Suddenly, a deep, choked voice stopped him. He looked up, mouth not even an inch away from that glorious, pulsating, hot need, pausing as Vegeta spoke.

"K-Kakarrot." He grunted, trying to get a grip on his panting.

"Y-yes, Master?" The younger man asked, terrified. He had done it, gone too far in his wish to please Vegeta.

"Wait."

Vegeta stood from the stool and turned. His hard, aching erection jutted out in stark contrast to the rest of him, hovering above where Kakarrot was still kneeling. He reached a hand down, clasping the frightened young man's wrist before pulling him to his feet. He stood before his Master, slouching a little, but still clearly taller than the prince. He didn't look angry. For that matter, he didn't look much of anything. A blank, but still serious expression was plastered onto his handsome face. His cheeks were flushed, but it seemed to be more from stimulation than anything else. He kept his hand clasped around Kakarrot's and then finally spoke.

"Why do you think I stopped you?"

He didn't know what to say. He thought he was giving Vegeta pleasure, making him feel the same amazing sensations the prince had once given him. Even the act of doing so to his Master had made he himself rock hard. He swallowed, looking at the ground to avoid the prince's intense gaze.

"I..." He swallowed again. "I wanted to make you feel... Like you made me feel..." He whispered. "When you fixed my tail."

A hand came up, gently cupping his chin. Vegeta lightly pulled, making him turn his gaze back to where the short prince was staring. He looked deeply into those black, endless eyes. They studied him, no emotion crossing their calm facade.

"Because I am your Master?"

Kakarrot slowly shook his head in the clasp of Vegeta's hand. "No. Because I wanted to make you feel good."

Gently, the hand let go of his chin. It caressed the side of his tanned face, before moving to sweep the wet bangs from his eyes. The tail he had been working twisted its furry presence around his thigh, tightening reassuringly.

"That's all I needed to know." He whispered, moving his hand away from Kakarrot's hair to again cup the gentle swell of his flushed cheek. "I... I don't want you to do this for me if it is just out of... Obligation. I never asked this of you, you are free to never do it again if you wish."

Kakarrot gulped, mind reeling at the prince's words. What god had been smiling on him when he met this man? How could he have managed to fall into the gentle, comforting arms of Prince Vegeta himself? Why would the Prince of all Saiyans wish him well? Tell him to do as he pleased? Give him the opportunity to speak his mind? That thought came back to him again, burning brightly as he repeated it over and over. _I would __**die**__ for this man_.

Vegeta was giving him free reign. If Kakarrot wished, he could walk out now, leave the palace, and never come back. Or, he could stay, work as a servant, and never touch the prince again in this way. _Or... I can do what I really wish..._

"I... I want to, Master."

Vegeta's dark eyes opened in shock. "Want to what?"

Kakarrot stepped forward, closing the distance between their bodies. His erection rubbed against the prince's, making them both hiss at the bare contact. A callused hand slowly lifted, placing itself delicately over the prince's much softer one. Tilting his head down, the younger man looked at the prince from beneath his eyebrows. A shuddering breath announced his nervousness for what he wished to say, but still, Kakarrot barreled onward.

"To pleasure you." He breathed.

Neither of them was sure who moved first, but it hardly seemed to matter when compared to the sensation of being lain so bare before each other, in more ways than just one. Water beat at their backs, muscles locked rigidly, eyes shut, and deeply, irrevocably over the abyss. After a second that spanned a thousand eternities, finally, their lips met.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

_This isn't happening... It it's not possible, it's a dream._ But still, Kakarrot's soft, warm lips on his felt so real. They were plump, sweet, wet, and _oh so_ inviting. Some god must have perfected the art of creation when he made Kakakrrot. All that lean, powerful muscle pressed against his heaving chest. The way he moved like a warrior even now only served to heighten his enjoyment. He tasted so sweet, and he was only at the younger man's lips. _I wonder if it's sweeter inside_. Curious, Vegeta pressed close, wrapping his strong arms around the muscled youth. At his insistence, that warm, young mouth opened for him. He slipped in a questing tongue, probing the cavern inside with delight. It was warm, smooth, delicious, _perfect_. He wanted more of it, _all_ of it.

Prince Vegeta's hands roamed the taut back, tracing scars, mapping the beautiful expanse he could not see through his tightly shut eyes. A pair of arms slipped over his own, caressing him back, crushing them together. Their arousals rubbed against each other as they kissed fiercely, giving as much pleasure as they took. He moaned into the mouth of the younger man, Kakarrot joining him until it dissolved into a lusty, rumbling purr. He arched as a hand tentatively ran across his backside, sweeping over at his hip to feel the length of his aching member. He growled into the kiss, announcing his approval of the gesture. It was repeated, less hesitantly this time.

Vegeta reached one of his hands up, bracing it against the back of Kakarrot's thick neck. His fingers briefly contacted the cool, unwelcome presence of the hated bronze collar. Moving it out of his way, the prince situated his palm at the base of Kakarrot's skull. Vegeta thrust his tongue in more deeply, twining with the one beneath it. It was a push and pull, not of dominance, but born of unrestrained passion. _He loved it._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

_This isn't real, it can't be real! _Kakarrot's foggy mind shouted. He was being overtaken by so much sensation, his mind and body on fire. It felt so good, Vegeta's tongue wrestling with his. He had kissed before, but never like this. Those kisses had been dominant, cruel, disgusting, humiliating. This, though... The way his Master moaned against his mouth made him want to taste him, devour him.

He brushed against the prince's hot, tempting, needy erection. The prince growled low into the kiss, approval evident in the lusty rumble. He touched again, receiving an even more enthusiastic response. He felt Vegeta brace his hand against the back of his neck a split second before that erotic, moving tongue thrust in deeply. Eyes squeezed shut tightly, breath coming only from his nose, the young man surrendered to the hot mouth, the flood of desire, his _Master_. He breathed in the scent of passion, reveling in feeling safe, comforted, and warm.

The shorter man slowly pulled back from him. Vegeta's lips remained open, breathing hard through his mouth. "Kakarrot," He moaned huskily.

The younger man leaned forward, pressing delicately to the royal's kiss-swollen lips. "Master..." He breathed against them, shuddering with delight.

The prince moaned, pressing him back. He felt his back contact the cool, tiled wall, but hardly felt it over the sensation of Vegeta's lips trailing across his jaw. He travelled downward, licking a heated, line down the teenager's quivering, exposed throat. The prince sucked, shoving the collar out of his way as his mouth enveloped a small spot of skin, pulling a whimper from deep in Kakarrot's heaving chest. Vegeta sucked over the spot, setting his nerves ablaze, and coloring the little patch of skin a deep red as blood rushed to the surface.

"M-Master..." He whimpered, arching into the prince's taut stomach. "P-please let me pleasure you too."

"Shh, Kakarrot." The older man whispered lustily, snaking his hand between him and the wall to pull their lower bodies closer together. "You are."

Their arousals rubbed against each other again, the contact short-lived. He was burning, ready to burst, and so was the prince. Kakarrot reached down, carefully clasping a hand around Vegeta's aching need. He huffed a short breath as he pulled, sliding a thumb delicately over the tip. Vegeta hissed, pulling away from the spot on Kakarrot's neck to grit his teeth.

His hand fell away from Vegeta to brace at his side, holding against the wall as the prince chose another spot on which to suck. He bit his lip, trembling uncontrollably under that perfect assault.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Vegeta grinned as he covered Kakarrot's muscular neck with tiny hickeys. The younger man panted into his ear, adjusting his head so he could lick the outer shell. The prince groaned as Kakarrot's sharp teeth nibbled on the lobe, never enough to leave a mark. His tongue swept below, and then behind as he became more insistent. Breathing heavily, the prince turned his neck to allow the younger man better access.

Their hips ground together, arousals rubbing at a constant, steady pace. His hand, still placed between Kakarrot's lower back and the shower wall, searched blindly. He exhaled in triumph when he heard a tiny, quipped groan from the younger male as his fingertips found the base of his tail.

His own tail, still clasped around Kakarrot's thigh, untwined, reaching around to curl over the young man's erection. Kakarrot choked back a cry, throwing back his head and gritting his teeth hard as the wet tail began to move.

"_Oh, gods!_" He screeched, biting hard on his lower lip. A tiny trickle of crimson flowed from the marks he had made in the flesh there, the scent of fresh blood mingling with the already intoxicating scents lacing the humid air.

The grip he had on the taller man's appendage tightened, putting pressure on the sensitive underside. The length curled in reaction, lashing wildly as Kakarrot's pitch increased. The prince cried out in surprise when it curled between the younger man's legs, wrapping around his own, dripping member. The tight coil of muscled tail moved rapidly, making the already bursting prince's knees go weak.

They panted, rutting against each other as their tails moved, increasing the sensation. The prince's lips met the other's again, their tongues twining passionately together in a heated rush. He tasted the coppery, crimson blood on the younger man's lower lip, shuddering violently at the rich taste.

The younger man whimpered enticingly, enthusiastically pushing against his mouth. His temperature rose as Kakarrot's body trembled, the breaths from his nose becoming sharper.

Suddenly, his mouth ripped away from Vegeta's as a high-pitched, exquisite cry erupted from the back of his throat. The taller man's whole body locked, head thrown back as the cry intensified and a stream of his thick, white essence spilled across Prince Vegeta's front. He wasn't far behind.

Vegeta gritted his teeth as Kakarrot's tail tightened around him. It was too much, he couldn't hold back. A low, guttural growl tore through the room as he came, coating the teenager's heaving abdomen. The younger Saiyan slowly opened his eyes, still panting from both passion and exhaustion. He reached a hand down, catching a bit of their substances on the tips of his fingers. He pulled them up to his mouth, licking away the sticky, bitter essence as Vegeta rested his head against the pounding chest. The erotic sight nearly made him hard again.

They just stood there in the onslaught of cooling water as their body temperatures dropped. Neither said a word, only reveled in the feeling of standing close to the other as their orgasm slowly faded.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot kept his eyes closed, feeling the prince's steady heartbeat slow along with his own. He had never experienced anything like that before, save the time Vegeta had fixed his tail. This, though, was better. It was more personal, passionate, fulfilling. He felt not only like he had received a gift, but given one, and knew that his Master felt the same.

They had both given and taken, bringing pleasure to a height he had never before experienced. The kissing was just as arousing as the rubbing of his tail, the gentle strokes across his arms that set his nerves on edge just as much as the stroking of his member had. In the back of his mind, a thought occurred to him. _It's Vegeta. It feels that way because it's him. _Kakarrot thought. _It feels right, because Vegeta's right._

He tilted his head down, and the handsome, wonderful prince tilted his up in return. He once again felt those magical lips pushing against his, a tongue slipping until they parted. The sweet, sultry passion laced within Prince Vegeta's tongue was phenomenal, the softness of his lips almost too much to bare. Their mouthes twined together, afterglows increasing subtly with each passing breath. Finally, they pulled away.

"Thank you, Master." He whispered, dark brown eyes searching the deep black of Vegeta's. "I've never... Never felt anything like that before."

"It was my pleasure, Kakarrot." The prince breathed, a hand reaching up to run through his wet bunches of spiky, black hair. "I'm glad I was able to do that for you."

They leaned their foreheads together, touching them lightly in the steamy room at the back of their training gym, a calming smile lighting each face. Hands placed relaxedly upon each other's waists, the two sighed simultaneously, heartbeats aligning back down to a steady, slow thump.

Then, suddenly, the world came crashing back. Hard, thudding boot-strikes reached their ears. Vegeta's eyes went wide, and his head jerked up suddenly as the shower room door was thrown open, a heaving, frightened, Chiva standing in the doorway.


	16. Chapter 16

Author's Notes:

Time to find out what Chiva was so frightened about!

Warning: Some more "not quite lemon" at the end of this chapter too. Frankly, at this point, I don't know where the lime ends and the lemon begins.

Enjoy!

**Chapter Sixteen:**

~•~Recap~•~

_They leaned their foreheads together, touching them lightly in the steamy room at the back of their training gym, a calming smile lighting each face. Hands placed relaxedly upon each other's waists, the two sighed simultaneously, heartbeats aligning back down to a steady, slow thump._

_Then, suddenly, the world came crashing back. Hard, thudding boot-strikes reached their ears. Vegeta's eyes went wide, and his head jerked up suddenly as the shower room door was thrown open, a heaving, frightened, Chiva standing in the doorway._

~•~ End Recap ~•~

"Guards! Guards!" A hysterical, female voice echoed down the hall. "The prince is in trouble, someone's screaming!" A frantic looking young woman burst out of the training room, waving wildly.

Chiva snapped to attention, grabbing the young servant girl by the front of her blouse. "What? What happened, what's wrong?"

"Prince Vegeta and his servant went off to get cleaned up, but we just heard a loud scream! They're in trouble, you need t-"

Unceremoniously, the guard dropped the young woman, pushing off the wall and running at break-neck speed towards the showers. _No, not the prince, not Kakarrot! Hasn't the poor boy been through enough?_ Her boots struck the stone floor with hard, powerful thumps. _Please be okay, please be okay. _She chanted wordlessly, heart thrumming with adrenaline as she shot past, her entire focus drawn to the shower rooms at the back of the training gym.

She forced herself to slow, lest she crash directly through the door and cause an injury. Panting breathlessly, she grabbed ahold of the knob, throwing the door wide with an echoing clang that could have reached the other ends of the palace. Blinded by the rush, she began talking immediately, eyes still yet to register the scene before them.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

"What's wrong!? Sire, the servants heard screami-"

Her wild, choppy, dark red hair stood out in stark contrast to her suddenly pale face. She mouthed wordlessly, eyes wide with shock as she took in the scene of Kakarrot -the servant boy- and the Crown Prince of Vegetasei standing naked, chest to chest, and coated in semen.

"Chiva!" Vegeta cried in surprise.

"I-I..." She stuttered, stepping back from the doorway. "I'll, um..." In shock, without another word, Chiva turned, shutting the door behind her with a sharp snap.

"Godsdammit." Vegeta sighed, falling against Kakarrot's chest.

Immediately, the prince noticed the younger man's violently tensed muscles. The royal lifted his head from the chiseled chest to stare into dark brown eyes. Kakarrot looked paralyzed, watching the doorway with horror and attempting to speak past the lump in his throat.

"I..." He stared at the young, handsome, flushed face. The young man cleared his throat. "Master..." Kakarrot dropped his gaze, shoulders slouching away from the wall he was pressed against. "I'm sorry, this is my fault."

"How is this your fault?"

The horrorstruck expression gave way immediately to a more dejected one. "I... I was the one who screamed."

Vegeta stared at him incredulously. "As did I."

"But-"

"Kakarrot." He interrupted.

The younger man sighed. "Yes, Master?"

"Do you regret this?" He asked tentatively, watching the as younger man's apprehensive gaze remained on the ground.

Kakarrot bit his lip.

Vegeta reached forward, gently grabbing his sharp chin in a soft hand. "Do you regret this?" He asked again softly, forcing those beautiful, brown eyes to look into his own. A gentle sigh as they fluttered closed.

"No."

Vegeta brushed the wet bangs out of his way, pulling his face down to the prince's lips. He gently kissed the creased forehead. "Neither do I."

His beautiful eyes flickered open. "Really?"

"Really."

The young man's face flushed, swallowing hard, apparently steeling himself to say something he wished not to. "Is... Is this my new duty to you, Master?" Kakarrot whispered, looking mortified. "I... I wouldn't mind if-"

He was cut short by a kiss, deep and passionate. His black lashes fluttered closed, sighing deeply at the incredible softness of the other man's lips.

"This is not a _duty_, Kakarrot." The prince whispered seriously.

"Does... Does that mean we can't do this again?" He asked in a timid whisper, obviously terrified at the possible answers.

Being careful neither to pressure nor dissuade the teenager, Vegeta answered neutrally. "That is up to you. Do you want to do this again?"

Kakarrot let out a relieved sigh, leaning forward so that his forehead was pressed against Vegeta's. "Gods, yes."

The prince chuckled, tilting his face to nuzzle against the taller man's powerful neck, ignoring entirely the presence of the bronze metal stinging his burning cheek. They savored the sensation of being close, and the promise laced beneath it. He didn't know what Kakarrot was in relation to him any longer, but knew he was more vital than anything he had ever encountered. _I don't think I could go on without him._ He thought silently. _He means that much._ Finally, they broke away, a concerned look surfacing on Kakarrot's handsome features.

"What will we do, Master?"

"About what?"

A tiny worry line appeared on the young forehead. "About Chiva."

The prince let out a resigned sigh. "I don't know, Kakarrot..." _We have to swear her to secrecy._

"We..." Kakarrot gestured noncommittally with a free hand, keeping the other firmly secured around the prince's trim waist. "We will have to keep this a secret, won't we?"

_Gods, did he read my mind? _Nodding sadly, the older man conceded. "We will. I'm sorry, Kakarrot."

The tiniest of smiles graced his young features. "It's alright, Master. We will do whatever is best. I..." He slowly ran his hand up and down along the prince's muscled side. "I like this." He blushed.

"So do I." Prince Vegeta sighed contentedly, head falling onto Kakarrot's chiseled shoulder_._

Strong, careful, powerful, delicate arms wrapped around his sleek form. It felt utterly right. _But what to do about Chiva..._ He thought silently. _This can't get out. My father... No, I must protect Kakarrot from him at all costs._

He ran a hand through those wet, black spikes. _Gods, he's beautiful._ How could anyone, with the life this young man had lead, have such innocent seeming eyes? And how could he be so smart, so serious, so strong? He was a marvel, a piece of art, _Kakarrot_. It was no wonder this had happened the way it did. Still, he didn't regret it for a second.

"Alright." He nodded, attempting to smile just the tiniest bit before planting another kiss against the side of his neck. "I need to go to my meeting. Can you wait in my rooms for me?"

A gentle nod. "Of course, Master."

"Good."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

They dressed quickly, taking little time to dry off the rapidly cooling water sticking to their skin. Vegeta left, ordering Chiva to guard him with a flick of his wrist. Kakarrot, heart heavy, went back to Vegeta's room alone.

He walked blindly, paying no attention to the beautiful decor of the hall. This walk from the training rooms to his Master's chamber was completely second-nature by now. His feet carried him without thought, leaving his mind to wander endlessly.

_I must speak with Chiva..._ He thought, clasping his hands behind his broad back. _She has to keep this a secret too. Though, I don't know how we can keep Raditz from finding out._ With the two being mated, he saw Chiva almost like a sister. And, from what Raditz had said, he didn't know if she'd be able to keep such a secret from his brother. _They're connected on a level I can scarcely imagine._ Kakarrot trusted his brother, deeply and completely. What he didn't trust, was the king's wrath.

_King Vejiita will be angry Master has become so close to me. I'm not fit for royalty except in being a whore._ His heart ached the second those words flowed through his mind. _Vegeta doesn't see me as a whore. I'm __**not**__ a whore. _He reprimanded silently, but firmly. _Still, we must avoid telling Raditz. If somehow the king finds out about us, he will likely question the guards. If he discovers that they know, he may slay them for not telling him._ Kakarrot knew what the king was capable of. Though he had never met the man, he and Vegeta had spoken about him often enough in their late-night discussions. Spoken enough to know not to trust him.

He thought again about what Vegeta had asked him. _"Do you regret this?" _He had answered truthfully. Kakarrot did not regret bringing pleasure with Vegeta, though he regretted being caught. Images raced through his mind of what had happened just a short while ago. He swallowed thickly, imagining the perfect, exquisite taste of his Master filling his mouth. That had been, without a doubt, the most incredible thing he had ever experienced. The best part of it all was that he knew Vegeta had gained as much pleasure as he. Even more, that he was there because his Master _cared_ about him, not just as a thing to be used and thrown aside. He left feeling not used, but whole. Except for the empty knot of anxiety at being seen, that was. _I don't think I could go on without him... He means that much._

He finally arrived in the prince's rooms, ignoring the guards as they ignored him. Though they didn't know his name, and he didn't know theirs, they had seen each other often enough to know that Kakarrot belonged here. They never gave him any trouble, or really any mind as he passed into the anteroom beyond.

He sought out the spot he was always most comfortable. Kakarrot curled up on the carpet beside Vegeta's bed, leaning his back against the side of the feather mattress. He never used the bed unless Vegeta was there with him. Otherwise, he always huddled comfortably in that same spot as he had his very first night.

Kakarrot pulled his knees up to his bare chest, wrapping his arms around them. His eyes slid closed as he leaned his back against the side of the bed. He loved this place. Loved the palace, the guards, the training rooms, his brother. It felt like home. _I just don't want any trouble..._ Kakarrot thought, sighing deeply at the tops of his fabric-covered knees. He was just content to wait there until Vegeta returned. After all, what much more was there to say? Yes, they would have to keep it a secret, for the good of the kingdom- but that didn't mean they couldn't be alone together. At least, he hoped not.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

"Chiva." He flicked his wrist, striding out of the shower room quickly, but casually.

He glanced over his shoulder, sending what he hoped was a reassuring nod back at the younger man as he left. Kakarrot had had the presence of mind to wrap a towel around his neck, claiming it was to catch the drips from his still soggy hair. It was truly to hide the half-dozen or so hickeys the prince had left on him. He mentally sighed at that. _I need to have more control._ Kakarrot, even in the heat of passion, had remembered to leave no marks upon his royal flesh. Vegeta had lost himself in that sweet, sultry, smooth skin. He swallowed, trying to get his mind away from those thoughts that would surely make him hard again. Instead, he focused upon what was now left to do.

He and Chiva strode briskly, side-by-side on the way to the throne room. It would take little time to get there, and he still had almost an hour left. This _had to_ be taken care of before they reached the meeting. Vegeta searched about the corridors they passed through for somewhere secluded, hoping against hope that there would be at least one on this route to the throne room. Suddenly, he stopped in one of the large, empty, twisting halls- he had spotted an alcove just behind a statue on a wall just to their left. Without delay, he grabbed Chiva's wrist, pulling her into the hollow where no passing guard or servant would be able to see them.

"Listen." He began, crossing his arms and looking at her sternly. "You will not tell anyone." It wasn't a question.

"I didn't plan on it." She protested, whispering back to him in the cold, cramped space.

"No, listen, Chiva." He growled. "You tell _no one_. If word of this gets out, Kakarrot could be hurt or killed. I don't wish for that to happen. You will tell _no one_ what you saw." He pressed.

Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

He continued as though there had been no interruption. "You are the only one who saw us. I expect you to keep your word, on your life. **On **_**Kakarrot's**_** life**." He emphasized.

"Who would kill him? _Why_ would they kill him?" She asked in, barreling on with her questions.

"That is none of your concern." He muttered, the slightest undertone of a growl laced beneath it. He didn't want questions. He wanted promises.

Crossing her arms, Chiva glared at him. "I think it is."

_Dammit, could she be any __**more**__ like Raditz?_ "Chiva-"

"Sire, you're not the only one who cares about his well-being. If there is someone out there looking to harm Kakarrot I want it stopped!"

"Don't argue with me here. You have no clue what you're getting into. The less you know, the better." He said, this time in a fully-fledged growl.

"How am I to protect him if I don't know what from?" She protested. "If they would kill Kakarrot, it would be better to kill them first!"

Vegeta stilled, silently glaring at her with full intensity. Unperturbed, she glared back. Finally, steeling his nerve, the prince answered. "You can't kill him."

"Why?!" She demanded, cheeks as red as his royal cape.

"Because-" He snarled. "it's the king."

All color drained from Chiva's face. Arms falling limply to her sides, she mouthed, no sound escaping her for several seconds before she was finally able to process speech. "The... What?"

"The king, my father."

"But... Why? What has Kakarrot done?"

Sighing resignedly, Vegeta muttered under his breath, watching it cloud in the freezing hall. "_He_ has done nothing wrong." The prince's throat seized up as he finally understood the full extent if his fears. _He'd kill Kakarrot to punish me._

"Then wh-"

"I'm supposed to be with a female of high class and status." He snapped, snarling at her_. _"Not..." A deep sigh. "Not him. My father would see Kakarrot as a threat to having heirs. He would want to... _Eliminate_ the threat." Vegeta shut his eyes, brow crinkling into a series of folds and worry-lines across his young features, deeply growling again. He wished it would never come to that, but was certain it could. He knew his father. King Vejiita had been given to worse. He wouldn't flinch at ordering the death of a teenage servant, especially if said servant was what he perceived as the reason he still had no royal heirs. _I can't let that happen. _"His best protection is silence."

Chiva gulped, looking deeply at the prince. "You care a great deal for him, don't you?"

Without saying anything else, the prince slowly nodded his head.

"And this is only to protect Kakarrot?"

A whispered sigh. "Yes."

"Then... You have my word."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot looked up sharply when he heard the snap of the main door opening. He rushed to his feet, stopping cautiously in the bedchamber doorway to see who would enter. The younger man had dozed off, and so didn't know how much time had passed. Though not entirely steady, his internal clock alerted him to it having been at least two hours, likely more.

He gave a sigh of relief as Vegeta stepped through the door, thankfully alone. Kakarrot stayed in the doorway, allowing the prince his space as he sighed and began stripping off his many layers of royal armor. Seeming preoccupied, the lithe man shedded his scouter, gloves, and boots.

Smiling with genuine joy at seeing the older man back, Kakarrot stepped forward to help him. The second Vegeta caught sight of him, relief flooded his face. The hard lines on his handsome visage softened, allowing the facade of "prince" to relax and the true Vegeta seep through.

"Kakarrot." He nodded, the tiniest hint of a smile gracing his typically stern features.

"Master." Kakarrot grinned, bouncing forward and enveloping the short prince in a gleeful hug around the shoulders. "How was the meeting?"

Vegeta smiled, running his fingers back through Kakarrot's messy, black hair. A purr rumbled from his barrel chest as the royal's nails gently contacted his scalp. A tiny grimace made its way onto Vegeta's face as he considered the younger man's question. "Not too well, but right now we have some more important things to talk about."

Frowning seriously, Kakarrot stood up straighter, still not letting go of the prince's broad shoulders. "What about, Master?"

Sighing, the prince carefully extricated himself from the warm embrace. Once again, he ran his freshly ungloved fingers through the younger man's messy spikes. His eyes closed under the gentle assault of Vegeta's soft fingers parting his hair.

"Here, follow me."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Vegeta's long, brown tail looped gently around Kakarrot's wrist, pulling them both to the center of the room. The prince offered a cushioned armchair to the young man, only to have it politely refused. He sighed in exasperation. _Is there a second he __**doesn't**__ think about his class? _Vegeta took the declined armchair, watching the tall man rest his back against the ottoman beside it, one leg pulled up to his chest. _Dammit, where does one begin?_ A tail carefully feathered its way across his calf, Kakarrot's bright, trusting eyes staring intently at him as his furry presence made itself known. A chuckle rumbled from deep in his chest as he delicately scooped up the tail twining around his leg. Those beautiful, dark lashes closed, Kakarrot's own purr rumbling to life as the prince slowly stroked the daring appendage now in his grasp.

"Kakarrot, what I mean to do tonight was be fair with you." He whispered, finally having found the words. "I... I enjoyed what we did, but you deserve to know all the things involved."

"What do you mean?" The younger man asked worriedly. "I thought we already agreed to keep it a secret."

"We did." He nodded, massaging gently on the tail in his hands. "But it would not be fair of me to not tell you of everything that may come as a result..."

Chin resting on the one knee he had pulled to his chest, Kakarrot puzzled at him. "That may result?"

His throat seized up at the blind trust lain bare in the teenager's gaze. _He needs to know..._ Hating himself for what he knew he must say, Vegeta dove in. "I am the prince of Vegetasei," He stated bluntly. "and yet, for years I have disregarded my father's wishes to produce an heir to the throne."

Kakarrot made a move to speak, but was quickly silenced by the fleeting, pleading look the prince sent to him. This would be much easier if he did not interrupt.

"I... I'm not even sure why." He sighed, gaze dropping to the stone floor. "I've been with women before, strictly for the purpose of having a child." He shook his head slightly. "Something in my head told me it... It wasn't right. Those few times were to appease my father. I only wanted him to stop looking at me like I was a disgrace..." Vegeta took a deep breath. "Still, as I have produced no heirs... It did no good."

That beautiful, young face had turned unreadable. Kakarrot was listening intently, but staring at the same point in the floor as his fidgeting prince. _Gods, I hate this._ He thought savagely. _But... It's what Kakarrot deserves to know all the truth. Even if it's uncomfortable for me to tell it._

His mouth felt dry as he continued his short tale. "Those women deserved better than how I treated them. I wasn't cruel," He assured. "but I treated them like they were my punishment. It never felt... Fulfilling. Not just physically, but also emotionally. I regret ever having lain with them. They, I'm sure, would have felt better having never known me."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

He felt his Master's heartache like it was his own. _It's almost like he was forced._ The young man thought sadly. _I know what that's like..._

"I always left feeling... I don't know, dirty, wrong? I'm almost relieved I gained no children from it. In the back of my mind, I think I would have probably seen them like my father sees me. I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

Vegeta's mouth twisted into a crumpled line, eyes closing as his head bowed.

"I hate that I have to tell you these things." He whispered. "I've never really spoken them aloud, but I need them to be said. You not only have a right to, but _deserve_ to know."

Blinking slowly, he turned to face the intently listening young man.

"I guess what I mean to say is... Kakarrot... It feels _right_ with you."

Kakarrot's head jerked up violently, unfocused, brown eyes suddenly fixated upon his prince's pained, black ones. The tail in Vegeta's hands started to shake as emotion began bubbling through the younger form.

"I want to be with you, around you, beside you, Kakarrot. It feels..." He growled, obviously unable to fit into words the way things felt around the young man. "But... I'm afraid."

Abruptly, his tail stilled. _This is the part he doesn't want to say... I can feel it._

"I'm terrified of what my father would do if he found out about this. He wants me to produce heirs, and that is something two males simply cannot do. If... If he found out how much I care for you, I think he would see you as a threat to the throne." The royal's throat clenched. "He might want you to be killed, to keep me from becoming so close to another male. His dreams of having heirs would be shattered... And I'm sure he would blame you."

His heart ached silently with his prince. He knew what it took to say such things, what the answers may be, and how scary it was to lay yourself bare to another- especially in the emotional sense this represented.

The prince bit his lip. "I wanted you to know. You deserve to know the danger. You have every right to say you wish it not to continue... That is why I told you."

Once he was certain Vegeta was finished speaking, slowly, the young man rose to his knees. The silence occupied the space between them like a third, unwelcome guest. He politely extricated his tail from Vegeta's stalled fingers, allowing it to wave lazily and freely in the air behind him. The prince's dark eyes were closed, his back hunched forward from the plush chair, face turned away. _He almost looks scared._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

He felt and heard the audible clues, telling him that Kakarrot had decided to stand. Almost imperceptibly, Vegeta flinched.

"Master." He whispered.

Long, languid movements saw him to stand directly before where the prince's head was now turned up at hearing his title so softly spoken. Kakarrot reached an arm forward, offering the prince a way up. Shakily, he took it. With a gentle pull, they both stood, face to face in the warm anteroom. Kakarrot towered above him, head tilted the slightest bit downward to keep watch on the prince's terrified eyes. The fire cracked behind them, Vegeta's heart thudding violently in his chest. _I can't do this... _His eyes closed yet again. He couldn't stare into those deep, beautiful brown orbs without losing control entirely. This was Kakarrot's decision.

"Master... Did you think I did not know this?"

Vegeta's head jerked up. "What?"

"Well, I didn't know about the women," He muttered. "but I had never expected you to be a virgin." He smiled a little before letting his face claim a more serious expression. "I knew the danger. I've always known." He blushed, red lightly dusting his tanned cheekbones. "You are more to me than just a Master. You make me feel _whole_. I know that I can tell you things I've never told another, and I'm sure you know the same. You understand me on a personal level." His eyes closed the slightest bit, gaze flicking to the ground. "You don't see me like a whore." He whispered. "For the first time in my life, I felt fulfilled by what we did. It felt good, physically and emotionally." His grip tightened, line of sight finally rising to meet the prince. "I guess... It feels _right_ for me too."

Unable to continue, the youth's tail completed the gesture where he could not, twining around the wrist hanging limply at Vegeta's side. "You... You want to-?" He asked, heart leaping into his throat.

Slowly, eyes shutting lightly so that his lashes gently touched the tops of his cheeks, Kakarrot nodded. "I do, Master."

Relief like he had never known flooded the prince. He hadn't even been aware of his violently

locked muscles until all tension left him with his deep, grateful sigh. "I'm glad." He breathed, carefully grasping ahold of Kakarrot's tail trying to entwine around his wrist. Bare, sweet, powerful emotion flooded up within him, like a newly tapped spring. _What does all this mean? _Vegeta speculated_. Well, for one thing, he's definitely not my servant anymore. Was he really ever to begin with?_ With that thought, came a sudden realization. _That means..._ "I'm not your Master..."

Blinking open again, confusion shone from the young, beautiful face. "What?"

"You don't have to call me Master anymore."

"B-but... I like that you're my Master..."

The prince's mouth twisted as he considered a way to rephrase. "Kakarrot, you are closer to me than anyone I have ever met. I care what you think, what you say, who you are. We've laughed together, and cried together, and we've shared intimacy deeper than any I could have hoped for, had I even known such intimacy existed. I trust you with my tail, with my secrets... With the depths of my being..." Carefully, he ran his fingertips through the thick, brown fur of the youth's tail. "If I trust you with that, when we're alone together, the least I can do is trust you with my name."

"That... Well, I don't know if it's prop-"

A hand ran through the young man's dark hair, gently interrupting him for Vegeta to speak. "What's _proper_ doesn't matter anymore."

"Isn't... Wouldn't it be disrespectful of me? I-I mean, I am your personal servant... If not my Master, what are you?"

The prince gently chuckled. "I am Vegeta." He breathed, face taking on a more serious cast. "We must still call each other by title around others... But, if anyone should call me by my name, Kakarrot, it should be you." His gaze fell. "I don't feel like I _own_ you. I see you as more than that... An equal. I can't be an equal to you if you see me as your owner."

The palm of the young man's large hand delicately brushed against his cheek. "I... I don't see you as my owner." He whispered lightly, cupping the side of his face. "Owners... They're cruel. I called master Cchini my "master" because he forced me to. With you, I had a choice. I _chose_ to call you my Master because you are more than just the prince. I only ever called you sire my first day. That was because I saw you as more than your title, just as you saw me."

Vegeta stared openly him. _Only sixteen... But he's so smart._ He was overcome with emotion, watching as big, brown eyes flicked back and forth between his black ones. "You... Would you then... Would you call me Vegeta? It can mean the same to you as saying Master. But... I don't want you to call me by a name you have called any other. I don't want to bring up for you memories of the past. I don't want to feel like I _own_ you anymore."

A long sigh was his first response. Vegeta pressed more deeply into the warm palm held against his cheek. Finally, brow drawn together in the most adorably apprehensive look the prince had ever witnessed, he answered. "If you wish... V-" He shut his eyes, taking a deep breath. "_Vegeta_."

It was the first time Kakarrot had ever said his name aloud. The prince was determined for it never to be the last. Smiling broadly, Vegeta fell against the young man's chest, arms looping around the bare waist. His brown peak of hair was immediately flattened by Kakarrot's sharp chin resting on the top of his head. The steady heartbeat drummed in his ear, lulling him soundly as the circle of the taller Saiyan's arms closed around his smaller form. Finally, he turned his face up to stare into those captivating dark, brown eyes.

"Thank you, Kakarrot."

Then, he felt them. Soft, warm, wonderful lips pressed against his. Eyes shut lightly, his body completely slackened under the assault of the younger man's hot mouth on his. They pulled away, then planted themselves over him again, repeating the same pressing, controlled, sweet kiss a thousand times. Slowly, they became more insistent. Pink lips opened in the slightest bit of a gasp, allowing the teen to run his tongue along them, requesting entry. _He kisses like a god. _Vegeta thought, holding tighter to the sculpted waist his arms were looped second that warm tongue entered his mouth, all semblance of control was lost.

He thudded back into the chair, pressed down by Kakarrot's welcome weight. Young, powerful arms crushed around him, pulling him tightly into the heated embrace. His own tail, wrapped protectively around his waist, uncoiled and slid a snaking path around Kakarrot's fabric-clad thigh. The younger man moaned against his mouth in the sweltering room, hips undulating as he straddled the prince's hot lap. Lips, teeth, tongue, all assaulted him in an exquisite rush.

Finally breaking for air, Vegeta stared, wide-eyed into Kakarrot's flushed face hovering not even an inch from his own. He felt his heart swell. _This man could make thunder turn tail and run. He has no power, but is still the strongest being I have ever known. His body is fit for a king, and yet is taken by a prince_. _He is a walking contradiction, and he is all mine._ Possessively, lovingly, he ran his fingers through messy, black strands before pulling that handsome face back down again. Vegeta was certain he could sit there, devouring Kakarrot's mouth all night. By the responses from the shuddering body above him, he believed Kakarrot could do the same.

Glad he had stripped from his armor at the door, the prince groaned appreciatively when he felt the youth's tail brush over his groin. Vegeta's position in the chair was strained, sitting a little lopsidedly on the comfortable cushions, pinned beneath the younger male's straddling form. The strong arms wrapped around his neck felt warm and secure, while also wanton and needy. Using the grip on his hair to break the kiss, Vegeta pulled back so that his neck was no longer in such an uncomfortable position. Retaliating immediately, Kakarrot pressed forward, once again enveloping the mouth that had just escaped him. Chuckling against his lips, the prince slowly let his hands wander while the teenager preoccupied himself with the royal's sweet mouth.

He traced and caressed a network of scars, mapping the chiseled abdominals, the narrow hips, and that glorious V of muscle that lead to Kakarrot's rising erection. A purr rumbled deeply from his chest, followed immediately by Kakarrot in approval of Vegeta's curious hands. Fingertips brushed along his back, curving around sculpted shoulders, then back to the chest pressed against his own.

Brown eyes flickered open again as his mouth finally pulled away. _He looks so innocent... So young._ The truth still stood that Kakarrot was only sixteen, though Vegeta didn't call him a boy anymore. Kakarrot was a man, a handsome, strong, wonderful _man_, in every sense of the word. He had lived through trials one could scarcely imagine... Yes, physically, he was sixteen. But mentally, Kakarrot was so much more. Age was a trivial matter when it came to him.

Sitting up straighter in the chair, they both stared intently into each other's eyes. Now they had adjusted, Kakarrot was able to sit lightly on the tops of the prince's thighs so as not to strain his knees. His trapped arousal felt uncomfortably tight under the black, spandex materiel of his pants, and Kakarrot looked not to be faring much better. Purring, the tall youth shifted so that one of his arms was now freed from around Vegeta's neck. His head thudded against the soft upholstery and then promptly dug into the materiel when he felt that hand brush delicately against his stinging member beneath the torturous spandex.

"Kakarrot." He moaned.

Lips found his throat, nipping against the skin, but careful to never leave a mark. The royal squirmed at the brushing fingertips coupled with the loving licks at his muscled neck.

"_Kakarrot_." He purred in abandon.

A chuckle sounded playfully from the man so delicately turning the prince into a writhing mass of lust. "Yes?"

Involuntarily, the royal's hips thrust upward. Kakarrot was almost unseated by the gesture, but still managed to smile again as he carefully licked the prince's exposed throat. "Guh-get these off, won't you?"

The collared young man grinned, sitting up straight so that Vegeta could adjust himself. Giggling, he began to pull the tight, clinging shirt from his heaving, sweaty chest. The prince raised his arms, sighing with relief as the long-sleeved shirt was finally stripped from him, allowing his skin to breathe. Once freed, Kakarrot bowed over that lean, sleek form. His tongue delivered a long lick to a sensitive nipple, panting with passion as it ran in teasing circles around the now erect nub. Teeth nipped expertly at him, breath fanning from the young man's nose over the wet flesh. The slow torture was rapturous, his whole being on fire, only able to be quenched by an even hotter mouth. Cautiously, teeth seized the delicate pebble of flesh, pulling on it carefully until the prince could take no more, quickly soothed by an apologetic tongue lapping over to comfort the harshness. Breaking for air, the young man smiled slightly, palming Vegeta's still trapped arousal beneath the tight pants.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

"I'll have to move for this one." He grinned, sliding down from the prince's lap until his knees hit the floor.

Unable to speak at this point, Vegeta could only groan, back arching as his tail once again flicked teasingly over the spot.

Biting his lower lip, Kakarrot brought his face down between Vegeta's parted legs. The materiel covering them was so tight it left little to the imagination. He swallowed involuntarily at the sight of the massive, throbbing erection barely concealed beneath the torturous black. With care, he grabbed the waistband in trembling fingers. He wasn't laughing any more. His own need was throbbing, but under his loose pants was no real problem. He was certain Vegeta was _aching_ to be touched under that spandex, especially with how much he had teased the man.

Groaning, the prince lifted his hips, allowing enough room for Kakarrot to free the thick, painful arousal. He pulled the pants off entirely, throwing them aside to land atop the also discarded shirt. They were unimportant when compared to the beautiful, hot, needing erection standing proudly before his eyes. He lowered his handsome, young face, once again biting his lip. He wanted it. Wanted to feel it, taste it. He had always hated doing this before, but this wasn't the same. This was Vegeta. _I want Vegeta to feel the pleasure I can give him. _Closing his eyes, enraptured, he began.

A long lick to the flesh of the hot prince's inner thigh sent the man to quaking. His body trembled under the teasing nips, only serving to build the pressure. He buried his face between Vegeta's muscular legs, savoring in the heat from the erection ready to burst before him. Flicking out his tongue, Kakarrot made an erotic, wet line through the precum oozing steadily from the tip, reveling in the bitter taste. _I want to show him._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

"_**Oh, gods!**_" Vegeta screamed, back going taut like a bowstring as Kakarrot's hot mouth descended upon him, enveloping the tip of his arousal in burning, pink lips.

Hands grabbed his hips, holding them to the chair and allowing the younger man to work his magic. The prince writhed under the assault of sensation Kakarrot was treating him to. The tongue, already having proven itself erotic in the workings it had done in his mouth, was tracing delicate patterns on the underside of his arousal. _Dear gods, he's going to kill me._ Soft, pink lips closed around the head, sucking gently to pull yet another string of moans from Vegeta's clenching throat. If the sensation wasn't enough, the sight only served to enhance it. The gently crinkled brow, covered over by sweeping, black bangs, the dark brown eyes closed in reverence, the pointed, handsome face, and the building purr rumbling his clamped lips only made him grow harder in that expert mouth.

Once assured the prince would not thrust forward again, Kakarrot removed one of his hands, allowing it to join in the sweet torture. He gently fingered the skin around Vegeta's member, his laden, twin orbs, his sensitive thigh with gentle, teasing strokes. Heavy, panting breaths issued from Vegeta in-between the long licks and hard pulls to his member that deprived him of all semblance of thought. The prince groaned as he felt the younger man's mouth leave him entirely, body still aching, and in desperate need of release. He whimpered piteously, opening his eyes to see what was stalling him. The sight of that young, handsome man between his legs was too much. The ridiculous mop of hair obscured his eyes, but his mouth was still obviously gaping. A long string of saliva connected the head of Vegeta's erection to the youth's lower lip. Hot, panting breaths fanned over his member, gently continuing the onslaught of sensation even in this brief spell of a break. A fleeting smile graced Kakarrot's features as he tilted his face up to look into the prince's wide eyes. As soon as their gazes made contact, he delivered a long, wet lick from the base to the tip. _No, he __**is **__killing me._

"_K-Kakarrot_!"

That soft, wet mouth enveloped him entirely, this time taking him to the root. Kakarrot purred around his mouthful, and the tip of Vegeta's member came in contact with the back of the younger man's vibrating throat. _I can't take this. _His mind moaned. Closing his lips tightly, Kakarrot bobbed his head, sliding the prince's sizable arousal in and out of his mouth at a rapid pace. All other thought was suddenly robbed from him as finally, he could truly take no more.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Every muscle in his body going rigid, Vegeta emptied himself into Kakarrot's waiting mouth, biting his lip until it bled to keep from announcing his pleasure to the gods above. _He tastes like heaven. _The young man thought rapturously as the bitter, white essence filled the cavern of his mouth. With a long, sucking pull, Kakarrot swallowed it all, panting as he let the prince's member finally slip from his mouth, still licking around the base to catch anything he may have missed.

"Gods." Vegeta groaned.

Grinning, the youth rested his cheek on the shorter man's bare thigh. "You taste _good_." He breathed, eyes heavily lidded as he glanced up to Vegeta's hotly flushed visage.

Satisfied, but not entirely spent, the prince lowered his face to his expert lover.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

He clasped the sharp chin, pulling their lips together to exchange a heated kiss as Kakarrot rose up on his knees. The prince sucked hungrily at the younger man's lips, making him moan as he tasted himself in the other's mouth. Breaking away, Vegeta ran his fingers through the teen's wild spikes. He could feel himself growing hard again, knowing his lover was unsatisfied and surely in a nearly painfully aroused state.

Slowly, the naked prince stood, pulling Kakarrot by the grip on his jaw to follow him to his feet. He towered over the prince once more, shaggy mop of black falling away in messy disarray over his beautiful face. The shorter man grinned wickedly as he wrapped his tail around the impressive length of Kakarrot's still fabric-covered erection, watching the younger man tremble.

"Let's take care of this, shall we?"


	17. Chapter 17

Author's Notes:

Warnings: Yaoi lemon. Right at the start. This is your only warning.

Teage Dunsten gave me a great shout-out in the latest chapter of her fic, Gentle Warrior. :) It can be found here: /s/7851194/1/Gentle-Warrior

My last few chapters were gargantuan, sorry for the inconsistent word-count. This one's nowhere near as huge as the last two, but by no means short.

Enjoy!

-Shikatoki

**Chapter Seventeen:**

Kakarrot thudded back against the materiel of the prince's expansive, soft bed. Instinctively, he propped himself up on his elbows, leaning back against the richly woven sheets before being immediately enveloped in Prince Vegeta's embrace. Both men were now starkly naked, Kakarrot having slipped out of his loose pants somewhere along the way. Lightly tanned, bare thighs trembled with the severity of his need, lip once again bleeding as Vegeta leaned his face close to that of his young lover. The prince licked up a glistening drop of blood from the younger man's quivering lip, brushing his fingers lightly up and down his washboard stomach. The ripple of muscle beneath his fingers felt so _correct, _the harsh, distinctly male lines of his hips trembling under the teasing strokes. _He's so beautiful._ Vegeta thought, trailing a finger down the impressive length of Kakarrot's arousal. A shudder ran the length of the teenager's spine at the delicate touch.

"P-please, Master," He whimpered. "it _aches._"

Eyes narrowed teasingly, the prince brushed just as lightly again. "Please _who_?"

"Please, _Vegeta_!" He corrected, wracking with wave after wave of hot desire. "Please, Vegeta, I _need_ you."

"That's what I thought." He chuckled, sliding his hand a little more heavily down the length.

Allowing his mouth to wander, Vegeta outlined sculpted pectorals with his wet tongue, diving between hard, honed, beautiful muscles. He almost laughed at the convulsive shake it sent through the teenager when he lapped over a nipple. Vegeta repeated the gesture, blowing a cold stream of air over it to make it stand hard. _No wonder Kakarrot spent so long doing this._ He thought absently, running a free hand down the length of quivering, brown tail attempting to squeeze the life out of his arm. _He won't last much longer if I keep this up._

Vegeta's head slowly came up, scrutinizing the room for some sort of lubricant. A bottle of massage oil on his bedside table immediately caught his attention, making him leave the erect nipple in favor of grabbing it. Kakarrot whimpered, a piteous, achingly adorable sound at the sudden loss of contact as Vegeta left the bed to retrieve the vial.

"_Hush, Kakarrot._" He whispered sensually, kneeling once again at the teenager's right side. "Not much longer."

"P-please..." A kiss silenced him.

With hurried fingers, the prince uncorked the bottle in his left hand, pouring a generous amount into the palm of his right. _I want this to be different. _He thought, heating the oil in his cupped palm with both ki and natural warmth. It ran down between his fingers, leaving little dots of heat to further torment Kakarrot's heaving abdomen. The droplets of warm lubricant splashing against his skin made the young man groan, soft whimpers escaping his throat. _This won't be what you've endured for the past four years. _Light, feathering strokes of a soft, brown tail temporarily distracted his young lover's attention as he moved the cupped hand down towards Kakarrot's tight entrance. _This is what it's supposed to feel like_.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Vegeta's tail traced delicate patterns on his hypersensitive flesh, raising goosebumps on the honey-tanned skin. He shuddered, all his focus drawn to the featherlight ministrations of the royal tail, not to mention the warm droplets of something spilling across his abdomen. Kakarrot's breath caught in his throat, finally releasing a yowl when a palmful of the slick liquid splashed heavily on the tip of his member.

"_Guh-gods!_" He screeched, eyes going wide and then narrowing back to slits while Vegeta continued his progress.

Whatever he was coated in was slowly sliding sown the sides of his erection, making him to gasp, tail thumping heavily against the mattress. If in pleasure or distress, not even Kakarrot was sure. He felt the gentle touch of the prince's fingers sliding down his thigh, curving inward to suggest he further spread his legs. Kakarrot complied, straightening his head back up from it's previously lolled position to see what Vegeta was doing. The prince's face was directly over his, right arm stretched between the teen's legs. Soft, warm lips pressed against his as he felt the first hot, oiled finger trace against his entrance.

His first instinct was to clench. _It... It'll hurt._ Kakarrot worried, heartbeat racing steadily as the finger circled. _But... I can take a little pain for Vegeta._ Forcibly, Kakarrot made himself relax, ordering his instinctive, jumpy muscles to obey. He focused his attention away from the invasive feeling, instead savoring Vegeta sucking on his lips. He knew one could lubricate, but it didn't often happen in his old life. He had tried doing so himself, thinking it would help to ease the pain. Yes, he had tried, but never was able to bring himself to do it. _If I enjoyed it, that made me a whore_... He thought sadly. It had been a silent rule he'd written for himself at The Carved Crown Inn. _I'm not at the inn anymore._ Kakarrot reminded himself sternly._ This is Vegeta. I'm allowed to enjoy what he does for me._

The wet tip traced softly around him before his prince slowly pressed the tip of one finger in. _This is Vegeta, this is Vegeta._ Kakarrot chanted silently as that familiar sensation of being entered began. But then, the next expected sensation didn't come. _It... It doesn't hurt. _Yes, it felt odd, intrusive, but not at all unpleasant. Delicately, the finger retreated, a little more oil on the tip this time before working in again.

The torturous tail began once more, tickling the backs of his thighs, stroking his narrow hips, making him purr at the oddly pleasant sensations Vegeta was treating him to.

Vegeta pressed in slowly, never going past the first knuckle. The ring of muscle loosened almost by itself, as opposed to the force of will he had needed to exhibit only a few seconds earlier for Vegeta to begin the process. The younger man relaxed further, body and mind, allowing the prince more room to press forward. _It feels..._

"_Nygh_." He moaned, head rolling back between his propped shoulders.

Vegeta's gaze snapped back to the young, flushed face with concern. "Am I hurting you?"

He shook his head, moaning, urging for his prince to continue. Vegeta pressed forward to the next knuckle, moving around inside him. He let out a quipped noise of surprised satisfaction, shuddering at the new presence overtaking his body. _It feels __**good**__. _Kakarrot thought, desperately pushing back against the lone digit. Taking the hint, Vegeta carefully slid in another beside, hot massage oil easing his progress. The combination of both fingers stretching him made Kakarrot gasp, viciously aching for more. _More._ He thought, clinging to the word like a lifeline. His prince obliged, smirking a little at the wanton moans escaping his plump lips, scissoring his fingers deep within the young body.

It wasn't an effort anymore to make his muscles obey. He was completely open to his prince, reveling in the fluidity of those slick, thrusting fingers. Then, suddenly, his breath caught.

"_**Gah!**_" His shoulders and back tensed violently, arching as an almost choked sound tore from his throat at the sheer intensity of the new place Vegeta's fingertips had just encountered. "A-again!"

His prince stared at him with concern. He panted, nodding hard, begging for Vegeta to continue. The royal's slick right hand began thrusting again, clawing up inside of him, this time searching for that sensitive bundle of nerves. Teeth grit shut, Kakarrot's toes curled, clutching the sheets in iron-gripped fists as his prince finally found what he sought. Fire and ice flooded his being, waves of terrifyingly intense heat followed by biting, deathly cold. It wasn't unpleasant, it was _ecstasy_. _This is Vegeta. _He thought, body shuddering under the intensity. _This is what it's supposed to feel like._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Vegeta's brow knit together, deep pools of black connecting with the chocolate brown, lust-clouded eyes of Kakarrot. His fingers stilled at the look in those eyes. They said without words what he wanted, what he needed. _He's ready._

Kakarrot let out a tiny whimper as Vegeta drew out his fingers. The prince changed his position, moving between his young lover's trembling, beautiful, muscular legs. Still propped on his elbows, Kakarrot bit his lip, panting sharply, so very close to the edge. Once again grabbing the vial, Vegeta liberally applied oil to his rigid length. Carefully, he lined himself up with Kakarrot's entrance, gazes connecting for a heart-stopping second before Vegeta slowly slid home.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

"_Vegeta!_" Kakarrot moaned, back arching from the bed in a fluid, graceful arc.

He felt so _filled_. Stretched, breath sobbing from his lungs at the profound intensity of such an incredible connection, Kakarrot surrendered himself. _It doesn't hurt_. His tail thudded agains the sheets, unable to remain still in this euphoric state. Shuddering, he adjusted to yet another slow, steady thrust. _It feels __**right**__._

"F-faster!" He panted, writhing against the richly-woven silk.

As asked, Vegeta quickened his pace. Incoherent, indecipherable, exquisite sounds vibrated through the air, drawn from both quivering throats as they moved together. _Deeper._ Kakarrot thought desperately, rotating his hips so that Vegeta could pound into what felt like the core of his very being.

"_**Gods, Vegeta!**_" He screamed, arms giving out entirely so that his back fell flush with the midnight blue sheets.

Lips assaulted his neck as muscular hands gripped tightly at his trim waist. The prince's long, powerful tail carefully slid between their bodies, wrapping a coil of its length around Kakarrot's bursting, oil-sheathed member. The brown fur was soon sodden with the lubricant, tightening around him before beginning to steadily pump in time with the thrusts.

"Nn, Kakarrrrrrot," Vegeta purred, eyes narrowed lustily, lovingly, at his flushed face.

He couldn't reply, other than to pant, and purr, and writhe. The breathy laughs from his lover spoke his understanding, tightening his appendage around Kakarrot's throbbing shaft. "V-Vegeta!"

Without thought, Kakarrot wrapped his long legs around Vegeta's strong back, forcing him in even deeper with every movement. _Ecstasy. _

Every thrust hit that sensitive bundle of nerves. Every pant from his lungs aligned with his beautiful prince, moving together in unexplainable euphoric, erotic motion. Enjoying this moment with another, reveling in sensation, exquisite connection, that gods-sent moment of being one, _loving and being loved_.

"_K-Kakarrot, I'm..._" Vegeta choked, but was unable to complete his thought.

A scream tore through the room as Kakarrot's muscles locked, tensing violently as climax shattered his world into a thousand, tiny pieces, each engraved with Vegeta's name. His legs, clamped around the prince's back, pulled Vegeta deeper into the suffocating, wonderful, perfect tightness. Everything was gone, everything but that glorious body hovering above him, inside him. All that existed was him and his glorious prince in a world gone entirely black in the blinding intensity. Not even a heartbeat later, Vegeta followed.

That coil of tail tightened, prolonging his orgasm, his exquisite scream as burning, hot, white essence filled him. _Euphoria, ecstasy, completion, __**love**_. _Nothing_ had ever felt so amazing. Not only physically, but mentally, spiritually, in every aspect of his being. It was perfect.

Huffing raggedly, his prince pulled back out, falling immediately beside him on the bed as his weak elbows gave in to their exhaustion. Their sweat-slicked bodies edged up closer to each other, spooning against hard, slick muscle, chest-to-chest. A set of arms enveloped Kakarrot's panting torso, making him feel warm and safe.

He opened his eyes, staring into deep pools of beautiful ebony. Vegeta's lips were parted, still breathing heavily from both exertion and sated lust. _No, not just lust... More._ Unable to help himself, Kakarrot captured those lips, delving into that sweet cavern and reaping the rewards. More was said in that kiss than could have been said all night, or in a thousand nights for that matter. Vegeta pushed back against his mouth, adding gentle pressure to the caress. Eventually, they broke away, Kakarrot's hand settling lovingly against his royal lover's face.

"Oh, _Kakarrot_." The prince breathed in a purring whisper against his ear, eyes closed so lightly he could almost see a thin line of white beneath the dark brown lashes.

"That was..." He couldn't fit into words. "Vegeta..." He snuggled closer into the crook of his prince's sleek body. "Thank you."

A deep, simultaneous exhale from both men announced their understanding. It was just _right._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Fanning breath tickled the side of Vegeta's sweat-beaded neck. He turned his head a little to find that Kakarrot had fallen asleep in his arms. Those dark, thick lashes were closed, brushing lightly over the tops of beautiful, tanned cheekbones. He was far from finished growing, but the transition between the softness of youth and the angular strokes of a battle-hardened man was a breathtaking combination. _Have I ever really studied him like this?_ The prince silently asked himself. _He will be a handsome adult. He is already a handsome young man._ Vegeta smiled, holding tighter as he inhaled deeply the scent of Kakarrot's disarray of black hair. _I told you once that you would never leave my side... I meant it. _The words flowed through his mind of their own volition as the calming snores from his counterpart steadily worked to lull him under. Finally, as the gentle embrace of unconsciousness assuaged what was left of him, a single thought remained as he drifted into sleep._ And now I have you, Kakarrot, I will __**never **__let you go._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

_The screaming's finally ended. _Chiva thought absently as she guarded the doors to Prince Vegeta's chambers. _The prince must be one hell of a lover to have the kid howling like that. _Her face flushed hotly, red dusting the tops of her feminine cheekbones as she scanned the hall for any approaching people. Chiva had known for a fact what was going on behind the tall, elegant doors she guarded. She had sworn on her life to make certain no one else found out. _Good thing I sent those guards away to watch alone. Those two are gonna have to learn to tone it down._

In the back of her mind, she saw Kakarrot like family. It was impossible not to, being mated to the teenager's brother. She felt protective of him, but not overly so. From what she had heard, she could tell Kakarrot had been enjoying himself, and she knew if there was anyone who could make the kid smile, it was Vegeta. It was a wonder this hadn't happened long before it had. _Then again, maybe it has. Kakarrot has been at the palace for almost two months already. Though, if they're this loud now, no telling how I would've missed it. _She smirked a little, huffing to herself. _Raditz isn't due to show up for another hour or so_. She judged by the moonlight filtering through the high windows to her left. _What to do..._

Chiva sighed, leaning back against the gigantic, locked, wooden door. How would she keep this from Raditz? _The prince ordered me to tell no one... How can I go without telling him?_ It was obvious the two were rut-partners at the very least, like she and her love had once been. But it seemed deeper than that in this case. She and Raditz had begun only with the physical relationship which had evolved; but Vegeta and Kakarrot had begun with a deep, trusting friendship, only now moving to the more serious, sexual encounter. _I really should have seen it coming..._ The two were almost inseparable. The only time she ever saw the prince without his "servant" was at court. Otherwise, the young men were always together. Vegeta also seemed much happier of late, surely due to Raditz' young brother.

Part of her was roiling at having walked in on the two. She didn't want to intrude upon the prince's or her mate's brother's lives. She had no right to. But still, in the far corners of her mind, she was glad for it. Chiva was certain she would never have been able to keep hers and Raditz' relationship secret without Elry to confide in. They had had a confidant, an ally. Elry took some of the burden off of having to keep her love from others, making it more bearable. Secretly, she hoped she would be able to do that for the prince and Kakarrot.

A shape appeared in the moonlit haze down the hall before her. Chiva stood to attention, ready to protect the large door she had previously been leaning against.

"Who's there?" She called, flaring a ball of yellowish ki in her upturned palm.

"All alone?" An amused, female voice asked from the bundle of shadow. "Where's the replacement?"

"Elry?"

She stepped into a particularly bright patch of moonlight, a smirk softening her dark features as she once again began walking to where Chiva stood. "Yep, can't get rid of me that easily."

"What've you been doing?" The short guard asked in amazement, clapping her friend on the shoulder as soon as she was within distance.

"Special orders from the prince, I'll tell ya' later." Elry mumbled, running her fingers through her short, dark brown locks. "What've you been up to?"

"Guarding and waiting for Raditz." Chiva mumbled truthfully.

"You two guarding together tonight?"

"Yeah. Well, for an hour or two. Then I'm going to bed so I'll be up to guard tomorrow."

Elry nodded, crossing dark, sleek arms over her large breasts. "So, what happened to the two standing watch earlier?"

"I sent them away."

The tall woman raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"They weren't paying attention." She lied smoothly.

"Barb and Rhu? Really? Hm, those two seemed more attentive than the others from the army. Then again, Barb wasn't on my team, so I don't know much about him. I'll have to look into getting more suitable guards."

Chiva inwardly groaned. _Dammit, they weren't really going anything wrong. We don't want to lose two good guards..._ "No, I think they were just tired, El. I don't blame them, it's boring as hell tonight."

Huffing a little at the use of the short-name she so despised, Elry let the matter drop. "Eh, whatever ya' say." She shrugged.

"So, what are you doing here? I though you had afternoon watch tomorrow."

Elry raised a dark eyebrow at her. "I _was_ lookin' for Rhu, until a certain someone sent him away." She glared playfully.

"What for?" Chiva asked, glaring mischievously back.

With a devilish wink, Elry smirked. "He owes me a favor."

"Heat cycle starting up again?"

"Viciously."

The short, fiery woman couldn't help but laugh. "Ha, poor man."

"Pff," She scoffed, flicking a wrist. "I'll have you know that he very much enjoyed his heat cycle, and better be _damn_ ready to deal with mine."

"Well, I'm pretty sure you could find him in one of the food halls." She smirked. "I could hear their stomachs growling all the way from over here."

Elry clapped her on the shoulder, turning immediately around to stroll down the dark hall. "Thanks for the lead! Don't fall asleep, ya' hear?" She called, raising a hand in farewell as she left in search of her rut-partner.

"Whatever you say." She smiled at the retreating back, waving a hand as well. "Happy hunting!"

As soon as the taller woman had completely disappeared at the other end of the hall, Chiva let out a long sigh. _Godsdamned, I'm a horrible liar._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot awoke after what he judged was only about an hour. The feeling of comfort, warmth, protection, and undeniable closeness settled into him, lighting every aspect of his being. It felt amazing, those sleek, powerful arms looped around him, the gentle tickle of a steady breathing snore rustling his hair. _It really was real... _He thought rapturously, sighing deeply from his nose. The fear of it all having been a dream was still present, but he doubted his subconscious was creative enough to construct such a heart-wrenchingly perfect feeling.

"Awake?"

Kakarrot tilted his head up, meeting his prince's dark, intense, wonderful gaze. "I thought you were asleep." He mumbled, running a hand down Vegeta's bare hip beneath the blanket.

"I would be, but I couldn't stop looking at you." The prince replied, pressing his lips to the younger man's forehead. "What woke you?"

Blushing slightly, Kakarrot wriggled closer to him, nestling deeper into Vegeta's sculpted chest. "No idea, really." He yawned. "But I'm glad I did." Carefully, he pressed his smiling mouth over Vegeta's.

The kiss that followed was as perfect as any other. He savored the gentle press of warm lips, as well as the slight tensing of muscled arms drawing him in deeper to the embrace. The tongue that slipped in to twine with his only enhanced the wonderful feeling of security.

"Oh, _Vegeta_." He sighed.

The prince's dark eyes slid closed, a gentle, amused puff of air tickling his forehead. "I love the sound my name on your lips."

Kakarrot smiled warmly against him. He felt so _protected_ there. "I do too. Calling you Master was one thing, but I like your name better." He pressed a sweet kiss to the side of his prince's neck. Suddenly more widely awake, a thought dawned upon him. "Vegeta?"

The questioning note in his voice caught the older man's attention. "Hm?"

He hated to ruin the relaxed atmosphere, but Kakarrot knew he would never get back to sleep if he didn't ask. "Did... Did you speak to Chiva?"

A slightly confused look surfaced before dissolving into one of understanding. "Yes, actually, I did. She's guarding the door for us tonight. We have her silence."

Kakarrot released a relieved breath. "Oh, good. When did you have time?"

"On my way to the meeting..." He trailed off, grimacing slightly.

"It didn't go well, did it?"

"No... Not at all."

_Looks like another night of talking._ Kakarrot typically loved these, but not under such circumstances. The way Vegeta had left the words hanging in the air forbade something unpleasant. _But, what must be said, must be said._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Deeply concerned, dark, hauntingly beautiful eyes bore into him. Kakarrot's voice took on a troubled set, letting out a soft sigh as he whispered. "What happened?"

He couldn't deny that gaze, that voice, that man. _Oh, but gods, what didn't happen? _"...It's a long story."

A soft touch landed on the side of his face. Delicately, without words, he understood its meaning. _Tell me._


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen:**

The prince's endless, onyx eyes were distant, staring off into cloudy thoughts of what had happened earlier that day. "Frieza was furious." He whispered, muscles tightening around Kakarrot's torso. "I've never seen anyone so irrationally angry. He almost unhinged the door coming into the throne room."

_I've seen those doors. They're so big they need two guards a piece to push them open._ Kakarrot thought, feeling his heart skip a beat. "What was he so angry about?"

The prince growled his displeasure. "My father... That old fool." Frown lines deepened around his lips, making the prince of only twenty-two seem suddenly much, much older.

For several moments, Vegeta became distant. This happened rather often in their late-night talks. There were sometimes several minutes of silence within one story, especially when it was about something they would rather not have to discuss. The way King Vejiita ruled Vegetasei was rather high on that list.

"Frieza usually gives us weeks to plan his arrivals." He muttered, scowl still dominating his features. "He makes us make a big deal out of it. Not only does it make him feel more extravagant, but it also is a way for him to express his control over us." He growled deeply, bearing his teeth. "Saiyans are not to be controlled."

Kakarrot nodded his agreement, providing whatever comfort he could in stroking the side of his prince's cheek. He knew the ire was not directed at him, this was just the way Vegeta needed to get his feelings to the fore. It was not proper for him to show such "weakness" as emotion before others. Sometimes it took a long while for him to say what was bothering him, but Kakarrot didn't mind. They had all night, after all.

"But Lord Frieza didn't give you time to make his arrival special, did he?"

Vegeta shook his head. "No. The only word I got of him coming at all was this morning. I had wondered what prompted the sudden visit..." His cheeks flushed slightly. "But I was... _Preoccupied_."

Kakarrot, blushing in his own right, snuggled closer to the man beside him. Some of the embarrassment ebbed away in the gentle, protective pressure of the older man's arms tightening around him again, for which the teenager was grateful.

Another pause, this one longer than the last. Kakarrot almost believed he had forgotten the conversation, opening his mouth to prompt another answer when Vegeta spoke. "So then, my father tried to prove it."

Tilting his chin to get a glimpse of his lover's face, Kakarrot's brow drew together in confusion. "Prove what?"

"That you can't control Saiyans..." He answered, trailing off. "He didn't tell me. Didn't say a word. If he had... Maybe I could have stopped him- but no." Vegeta growled, dark, pained eyes closing slowly. "No, he went with what he thought best... The fool." His voice was rough with emotion, both regret and anger prevalent.

Sometimes, Vegeta needed answers pulled from him. Kakarrot was rather good at the task, as he had become well-practiced at it. "How?" He asked in a gentle, knowing whisper.

The handsome face twisted, grimace tightening in obvious displeasure. "The old fool," Vegeta snarled. "withdrew three thousand troops from that overgrown lizard's army, ordering them stationed back to Vegetasei."

Kakarrot stared. He didn't understand what was so bad about this. _Withdrawing troops doesn't mean killing them... So, why is this an issue? _"I don't understand."

Ebony eyes considered at him, taking in his confused, crinkled brow. "You don't know much about war, nor about Frieza, do you?" He began, taking a steadying breath.

The teenager shook his head.

"The Saiyans are a proud, strong, warrior race- we are valuable to Frieza. We fight because it is our life, our drive." He watched Kakarrot's knowing expression. "Not something I have need to explain to you of all people."

Wordlessly, he nodded his understanding, not interrupting the flow of Vegeta's words.

Nodding back, his prince continued. "For our compliance, we are given the spoils of war, and our people are happy -for the most part- because they have a steady supply of fights. It isn't pretty, but it is what we are." Vegeta idly began messing with a lock of Kakarrot's black hair, twisting it between his fingers. "Still... I know we could be better." He said this in the barest of whispers, almost more to himself than to Kakarrot.

They had had similar conversations to this before. Fighting was exhilarating, enjoyable, _life._ The rusty scent of blood, giving oneself over to instinct, the indescribable feeling of unquestionable victory, the heady, rushing, complex dance of battle.._. _That was what made Saiyan pride. A fight to the death was something rare, something special. To exert your dominance and superiority to one who had done you wrong was an honor. To kill those who had done nothing to you... Was different. And not in a good way. There was little honor in purging. Fighting just for fighting's sake, though, did not turn a profit. _Like Vegeta once said. "Saiyans must kill to survive in more ways than one."_

"I hate being controlled by that bastard Icejin and his bastard father. _Saiyans are not to be controlled_." He repeated in a growl. "I hate bowing to him, but I must... For my people."

He nodded solemnly. _Vegeta cares a great deal for his people. But there's more to this..._ A thought struck him. "There is more to this than just the Saiyans needing money from the Planet Trade Organization, isn't there?"

Vegeta's eyes closed, letting out a long breath. _Seems I've hit upon the root of it._ "Yes."

Kakarrot ran his fingertips over Vegeta's back in the cool, dark room. He tickled softly up the spine in an understanding gesture, giving comfort. His warm palm slid silkily against his lithe muscles, speaking in his caress things he dare not say aloud. He couldn't rush this. _Just say it, Vegeta. _He silently pleaded._ Saying it will help._

The prince released a pained sigh. "The Icejin are powerful." Glassy, distant, eyes reopened, staring off into the shadowy space above Kakarrot's right shoulder. "They have the sort of power that one can scarcely imagine, even having seen a portion of it myself. That is why King Cold and his sons control the Planet Trade Organization. No one can threaten them. Their throne is unchallenged. They are the rulers because no one has the power to stop them. No one." He swallowed thickly. "I think that was why Frieza was so angry today."

"What do you mean?"

Dark eyes narrowed with thought. "In my father withdrawing those troops, he sent a message. It said that _he_ was still the ruler of Vegetasei, of all Saiyans. It didn't matter where they were, or whom they served under now, they remained unquestionably loyal to the throne. It was the first time Frieza had ever had his power questioned- no, threatened. At least, he saw it as such. I think that's what my idiot father wanted, anyway."

"We choose to be loyal to the throne." Kakarrot soothed. "We are not loyal to _him_ by choice_. _Did Lord Frieza not know that?"

"I think he did. But also, I think Frieza believed his power would provide enough fear for them to follow his order over my father's. You can't control people on fear alone, something even the Icejin have yet to learn. You can only threaten to kill so many. If you kill your whole empire, who is left to rule?"

Kakarrot nodded. _It makes sense. Vegeta is a prince, after all. _Again, another thought struck him. "How..." The younger man paused. "I don't know much about ki... But how powerful _is_ this Lord Frieza?" He asked, brow crinkling. "If people only follow him by fear..."

The prince sighed, once again twisting the little lock of black hair between his fingertips. "Like I said... It's just indescribable. He has so much _raw __**power**_. What's worse, is that he knows very well how to use it." He felt the resigned attitude falling over Vegeta as he spoke. "I have no doubt that Frieza could kill me before I could raise a finger to stop him. My power, when compared to his, is _insignificant_ at best."

_It hurt him to say that... It hurt him a lot. _Kakarrot thought, heart silently said much about Vegeta's character that he could admit such a thing. Pride typically demanded he not, but this situation wasn't just about him. He was the Prince of Vegetsei, the most powerful Saiyan alive, undefeated, unconquerable... _But insignificant? _Still, Vegeta continued.

"If he got it in his head to kill everyone on Vegetsei... He could, and I wouldn't be able to stop him. That thought scares me even more." A glistening tear ran down the side of his cheek, being immediately absorbed in the materiel of the dark-blue, silk sheets. Tears of hurt, anguish, and frustration fell from Vegeta's dark-brown lashes, his voice becoming increasingly rough and hoarse as he fought to speak. "I only just learned that today, really..."

_Oh, Vegeta..._ Kakarrot thought, heart breaking at the helplessness in his prince's demeanor. _If there is one thing more important to him than pride, it's his people. _Tears welled in his own eyes at the anguish resonating from his prince. It took a lot to make Vegeta cry._ Vegeta..._

"I learned that when he lined up and killed each and every one of those three thousand withdrawn troops."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The look if horror on Kakarrot's young features would be something Vegeta knew he could never forget. Deep, brown orbs stared at him- straight through the depths of his very being. Tears in his own eyes were reflected in the wide, chocolate, almost unreadable expression falling onto Kakarrot's face. He looked very young right then, and Vegeta knew he too must have looked very old. It broke his heart to see those deep, endless eyes fall apart. _I can't fault him, though_. He thought silently. _I'm crying too._

Kakarrot buried his head in Vegeta's corded neck and silken pillows, weeping openly. The prince let a hand trail down from the masculine, beautiful face to slide down an arm and finally rest on his hip. From there, he did the only thing he knew to comfort his loved one, as he had done so many times when his young companion was upset. Carefully, he stroked the long, brown, tail at the base of his spine. Not in a sexual way, but in a way that bespoke comfort in a time where both partners were distraught.

_I didn't want to tell him... I still don't want to tell him the rest, but he needs to know. _Vegeta thought, continuing the calming, careful strokes.

"I'm so sorry, Vegeta." He choked, whispering. "Three thousand men? F-for _what_?" Kakarrot's shoulders shook with fear, anger, and revulsion, watery, brown eyes squeezed tightly shut to try and hide the tears pouring forth.

The prince's voice was choked as he answered. "It wasn't your fault, Kakarrot. It was my father and Frieza that brought this upon Vegetasei." He pressed soft lips to the younger man's quivering forehead. "I'm sorry I have to tell you this. I hate upsetting you."

With a withdrawn hand, Kakarrot wiped his eyes, taking a few deep, steadying breaths. "It isn't you who upset me..." He whispered shakily. "It's that... That _bastard_."

Vegeta stroked his tail lovingly, forehead pressed up against Kakarrot's as they slowly wound back down. It took several moments of gentle gestures before both men had regained control over themselves. Tear-tracks dried, leaving their evidence of weakness, but also saying that they had moved past and grieved for those lives lost.

Finally having a grip on his own voice, Kakarrot whispered, carefully stroking a lock of Prince Vegeta's dark-brown hair. "There's something more to this, isn't there?"

Vegeta almost groaned. _Godsdamned, he's smart_. "Yes."

"But you don't want to tell me."

"No."

"Why?" The question almost sounded hurt.

The prince sighed. "Because we've already suffered enough."

Intent, brown eyes fixed at him. "Mast-" He paused, correcting. "Vegeta."

"Yes, Kakarrot." His eyelids fell, unable to keep contact with the intensity of that glare any longer.

A gentle stroke to the side of his face. "Please, tell me."

_And he says the one thing I cannot deny him... _He kept his gaze away, dropping the eye contact while still embracing the physical. Vegeta waited a long, hard, endless minute before finally letting out a deep breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.

"Alright." He ran his fingertips through silky, dark, Saiyan fur, continuing the gentle, comforting sensation. Quietly, barely above a breath, he whispered. "Frieza threatened to kill me."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot jerked straight upright in the bed, both alarm and anger prompting the move. Unfortunately, his prince's fingers had still been clasped around his tail, making his movement pull sharply on the sensitive appendage. He let out a stifled yowl, quickly suppressing it as Vegeta let go as though he had been bitten.

Vegeta sat up as well, cupping his cheek. "Are you okay?" He asked with concern.

Gingerly, Kakarrot swished his tail before slowly nodding. "Sorry, I didn't mean to jar you like that." He mumbled, looking down.

Vegeta crossed his legs, apparently finding the new position more comfortable than lying down. "I'm sorry if I hurt you."

The young man felt a rueful, subdued smile trace his lips. "I'm fine. Even if I wasn't, it would've been my fault." The lightness sluffed from his features. "But still... Why?"

Hands pooling in his lap, the prince shrugged. "I'm not completely sure."

"You weren't even the one who issued the order, if anything, Lord Frieza should have been mad at the king."

Vegeta agreed. "I know, that would only make sense... But..." He trailed off.

"Could it be that he thought you issued the command? You both have the same name after all."

"I don't think so." He grumbled, brow drawn together as he stared at his hands in his lap. "Not... Not the way it happened."

Kakarrot, now severely confused, reached forward and grasped one of the older Saiyan's soft hands. Soothingly, he ran his rough thumbs over the back, tilting his head to get a look at the other's eyes. "What do you mean?"

A sound, partway between a purr and a growl of frustration, announced his mood. "It... It was odd. After he had killed all those men, he seemed much calmer. Deadly calm. Then, he just pointed at me," Vegeta raised his other hand, pointing it with his long index finger at the bedpost. "but he was looking at my father the whole time."

A thought struck him. "What did he say?"

" 'You know the consequences of betrayal, Vejiita. Next time it will not just be your men that die.' " He let the hand fall, growling again.

It clicked. Kakarrot spoke tentatively, as though he was merely thinking aloud_. _"He may have been threatening to kill you, but the intent was for your father..." Kakarrot muttered, almost to himself.

Vegeta rose a perplexed eyebrow at him. "What?"

"Well," The younger man looked embarrassed, ears going red in the dim moonlight. "the thing the king wants more than anything else is a royal heir, right?"

The prince nodded, looking thoughtful.

"So, if Frieza threatened to kill him, he would know you would still be around to produce more heirs and continue your bloodline." Kakarrot swallowed, watching his thumbs circle over the back of the prince's hand. "But if he threatened to kill you... The bloodline would end there."

Carefully, Kakarrot glanced up from beneath his eyebrows, then quailed. _I knew I shouldn't have said that... I knew it... _Angrily haunted eyes were fixated at the looked _furious_, a dark scowl dominating his handsome face and a deep, resonating growl building in his muscled chest.

~•~POV Change ~•~

Prince Vegeta felt his heat rising. _Again, I am nothing but a __**tool**__ to him- to them! _He let out a harsh growl, clenching his unoccupied hand into a fist. His tail slashed angrily, thumping hard against the bed instead of securing around his waist as it normally did. _The overgrown __**bastard**__ lizard is using __**me**__ to control my father. To control my people! _Tail bristling, fury mounting, Vegeta almost didn't catch the tiny, whimpered apology.

"_I- I'm sorry..._"

He stopped dead. _Oh shit. _The deep, angered, resonating tone instantly died in his throat is he snapped his attention back to present.

Kakarrot's usually lively, dark tail was tucked behind him, carefully concealed beneath the sheets. The young man looked at once both regretful, and scared in the way he stared at the hand held loosely in his. He was only watching with a concerned expression, waiting timidly.

"Forgive me." Vegeta whispered hoarsely. "It's not your fault, Kakarrot. I wasn't angry at you," He raised a hand, stroking the concerned face. "I'm angry at Frieza. You only stated what I was too foolish to see."

Kakarrot gently shook his head, reaching his own palm up to cover where the prince's rested against his cheek. "You aren't foolish." He blushed. "You have every right to be angry."

"But I have no right to snap at you."

Kakarrot blushed even redder, shaking his head. "It's fine Vegeta. I knew you weren't angry at me, I just didn't want to upset you by speaking without thinking first." He attempted to smile, looking up at the prince from behind his long, unruly bangs.

The deep red cheeks, hidden beneath the mop of thick hair looked at once both utterly ridiculous and achingly adorable. Unable to help himself, Vegeta leaned forward, pressing his lips to the younger man's awkward attempt at a smile, feeling the corners turn up into a more enthusiastic one.

They opened for him, allowing the kiss to deepen and both men begin to purr. He pulled back, chuckling a little to himself.

"You truly are a wonder, Kakarrot." He sighed, falling back against the sheets, stretching luxuriously against the silk.

Closing his eyes, he felt the gentle pressure of his young lover curling up beside him. A warm, chiseled arm thrown over his chest.

"I'm a rather sleepy wonder." He yawned, nuzzling closely.

The comforter pulled up, both men huddled together, trying their best to ignore the falling moon through the high windows. Warmth, comfort, and closure wrapped around them both, drawing them down into exhaustion and unconsciousness's gentle embrace.

"Good night, Kakarrot."

"'Night, Vegeta."


	19. Chapter 19

Author's Notes:

A special shout-out to Samichuu for the most thorough review I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Thank you so much for that.

Another shout-out to SaiyanSecret and Sayjinvixie for being ever supportive and awesome on Tumblr!

And a quick thank you to everyone who has taken time to review! I really do love getting them, even if they're just a "that's hot" or "good chapter". Makes may day every time.

Warnings: Extensive foreplay, lime-ish, borderline lemon. (Not really sure where the line between lemon and lime- so... Citrus?)

Enjoy.

**Chapter Nineteen:**

The order for more soldiers had arrived only a week after the incident, and though the prince knew it was coming, that didn't make him any happier about it.

He had managed to convince his father the best course of action, as of then, was to comply. It had taken several hours of shouting, but was finally settled. Three thousand men were on their way to the Planet Trade Organization, joining with their enemies to avoid further bloodshed. That was what was hoped, anyway.

He couldn't help feeling that had his father never withdrawn those men to begin with, it never would have been an issue. _Damn, old fool. _He thought bitterly._ I call him that more than I call him my father._ Still, as much as Vegeta loathed to admit it, he understood the king's wish to fight back. A caged animal snaps -even at the hand which feeds it- and as of late, he had felt _very_ caged. His dreams of the past months had been haunted by an angry, gloating Frieza, killing all those he held dear. Chiva, _dead._ Raditz,_ dead. _And worst: Kakarrot, _dead_. He shivered, forcibly directing his thoughts away from that horrific dream.

He _wanted_, with every fiber of his being, to be free of the Icejins' control. He knew their power, knew what could happen, dreaded it... However, he understood his duty, albeit a bitter pill to swallow.

In the past three months, they had heard no communication from Frieza or the Planet Trade, something he took as a good sign. Vegetasei in general had calmed down significantly since the incident, and was now almost back to as normal as it ever was.

Winter had since blown over its harsh fury before snuffing out into encroaching spring. The true heat-season had yet to start, but the changes to the palace were already beginning- if not entirely evident. Apart from the welcome climb in temperature and melting of snow, Saiyans everywhere were exchanging their cold-season garb for cooler garments, Kakarrot and the prince included.

The younger man's black and red servants' clothes were now replaced with cool, flowing white. Sleeveless shirts and matching pants filled his wardrobe, all also emblazoned with the deep red Saiyan Royal Crest at his own insistence. Vegeta, for his part, had switched to a lighter, blue bodysuit of a thinner material. The black ones were thicker, designed to reflect one's own body heat back at them- not the sort of thing to be worn in Saiyan summer.

He liked the look of black on the both of them, but once the true temperature of the season kicked in, it would be foolish to wear something to _absorb_ the oppressive heat.

With the more pleasant -if temporary- feel outdoors, the two had taken to training outside. In no time, Kakarrot had reestablished the once very prominent tan, contrasting handsomely with his change of dress.

No matter how he was dressed, though, the prince saw his lover as handsome. _Very handsome._ Vegeta thought, steadily relaxing with the even breathing of Kakarrot by his side. _His_ Kakarrot.

In the past, three, glorious months, their emotions had only intensified. The love he felt was not only reflected, but multiplied back at him, making the prince feel more complete than he ever had in his life. It was a sensation, a drive, and yet utterly natural in its flow.

He smiled, settling deeper into the sheets, and hugging his arms more securely around the teenager's bare waist. They had slept in each other's arms without fail ever since that first night as one. They didn't always make love. No, much of the time, they just held each other, nestled closely together from dusk until dawn.

Kakarrot _understood_ him like no other could. Deeply and completely. The younger man read him like a book, more _feeling_ his thoughts than needing to ask them. Vegeta felt the same, often knowing just when his young lover was in need of something, and never ceasing to find a way to supply it.

They _worked_ together. They _fit_ together. He smiled, his inner thoughts supplying the proper words. _We belong together. _

Sometimes it struck him as odd, both being raised so differently, that they would have such all-consuming synergy. How they needed not to ask, but merely _know_. He didn't question it, though. Vegeta appreciated it, savored it, and held it more closely than anything else in the universe. Held _him _more closely than anything else in the universe_._

In his wildest dreams, Vegeta had never imagined being so happy with someone. Kakarrot was just _right_ for him. The way he fit against the prince's side, snuggled into the crook of his neck and arm, safely protected from all that could harm him, was utterly perfect.

Mornings always began this way, Kakarrot's shaggy, black head nestled beneath the prince's chin. Vegeta's sleek, powerful arms held him in a tight, protective, loving grip- careful not to wake the young man while his thoughts drifted.

Sometimes they spooned against each other, taking turns as to who was the protector, and who would be protected. It was symbolic, saying that neither of them was truly stronger than the other, apart from in their power levels- as they were both constantly reminded by the teenager's bronze collar. Still, Vegeta was always gratified to feel the security of his lover's strong arms around him. He had been a protector his whole life, and often found it waring. Kakarrot gave much to him in the simple act of allowing the prince to just _be held_. It meant more to him than he dared express. He didn't need to. Kakarrot just understood.

Whoever woke first always stayed there until the other came to awareness, neither wanting to break the perfect, early-sunrise spell. On this particular morning, it was Vegeta.

He breathed deeply, savoring the role of protector. He held the younger man, face nuzzled towards him instead of away. He liked it that way, how they could both loop their arms around each other in this position instead of only one giving, the other receiving. It felt more equal that way, doing well in summing up the workings of their relationship. They were equals, two halves to the same whole, both givers _and_ receivers of their love.

While it was true Vegeta had never been the receiver when the two men made love, he was not opposed to the idea. As of now, though, Kakarrot was not comfortable being the dominant, so Vegeta was content with how they were now.

The course of his thoughts, cloudy as he had awoken, quickly cleared when he saw the first eyelid flicker. Beneath was revealed a sleepy, brown iris, surrounding a dilated pupil, which quickly shrank in the filtered light of dawn.

"Good morning." The prince smiled, kissing the groggy teenager's creased forehead.

"G'morning." He replied, blinking several times to bring the world into focus. He smiled, a subdued, still sleepy look of contentment, mirrored in the soft rumbling resonating from his chest. He nuzzled comfortably against the prince's neck, heartbeat steady and slow.

_Gods, he's adorable. _Unable to help himself, Vegeta leaned downward, capturing the younger man's soft, plump lips. They were still warm from sleep, sweet as ever, and quite irresistible. As he tried to pull away, Kakarrot followed, eyelids heavy but seemingly awake enough to comprehend what he wanted.

Smiling, Vegeta repeated the action, longer, just the slightest bit more heavily. Again and again, deepening each time, both men becoming more insistent as grogginess was forgotten, becoming merely a distant memory. Finally, swollen, hungry lips parted, making way for Vegeta's tongue to plunge its depths.

The prince move fluidly, giving up entirely his position on his side. He rested on one elbow, face angled above his lover's as he reaped the sweet rewards of Kakarrot's mouth, swallowing down the deep moans with his tongue, savoring them. Vegeta brought up his hand, using it to cup the younger man's flushed face in a loving embrace.

He broke the kiss, but left his hand were it lay. Silently, they stared into each other's eyes, brown reflected in onyx for a long, glorious moment.

"Quite a way to wake up." The younger man mumbled lustily, eyes narrowed.

"You're welcome." Vegeta smirked, lips descending again.

Instead of kissing Kakarrot's mouth- this time, he sought lower. The first peck landed on the edge of the sharp chin, then continued ever downward across the teenager's jawline. He could feel the heavy panting fan across his ear, warm, humid breath tickling the side of his muscled neck. _Oh, dear gods, how I love him._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

His heart-rate involuntarily quickened, brought about both by Vegeta's wandering hands and torturous mouth. Suddenly, the older man's lips left his neck, drawing a complaining whimper from Kakarrot's throat. _Aw, but I was enjoying that._ He opened his eyes, unaware of when he had closed them, only to realize that his prince was sitting up. He tilted his head it that direction, looking with pleading eyes at a chuckling Vegeta. The teen lifted his arms, throwing them over his head to land on the pillow behind him, elbows and wrists relaxedly tilted in a casual gesture as he stared his lover down with an exasperated sigh. A purring, questioning whine filled the room, only making Vegeta's smile widen.

"You're overdressed for the occasion."

Kakarrot rolled his eyes, now smirking as well. "Care to remedy the situation?"

The teenager delighted to hear a genuine bark of a laugh tear from his prince's throat. "Cocky, are we?"

Instead of answering, Kakarrot made a move to get up, to meet Vegeta on his knees in the bed. He was stopped, however, by a large hand on his chest, pushing him back down into the mattress. He raised his eyebrows at it, following the arm back up to a devilish prince.

The older man leaned his face down, stopping millimeters away from his ear, a breathy, lustful whisper making Kakarrot shiver. "I'll take care of it."

The hand on his chest delicately trailed downward, catching up the supple, red sheet on its path. It outlined honed muscles, first between the sculpted pecs before painstakingly tracing each and every individual, rock-hard abdominal. He hooked the waistline of his white pants, drawing them down until they had freed his arousal, but remained caught around his legs. His breathing quickened, a whine drawing from his throat as it the finger approached ever closer to his rising erection, but never touching it.

"Hmm, Kakarrot," He growled lovingly, slinking fluidly to rest his head over the teen's rapidly beating heart. "you seem..." A hand trailed behind him, blindly following the contours of muscle before landing upon its target. Kakarrot hissed, eyes squeezing shut while Vegeta's fingertips closed around his aching member. "Excited."

He huffed breathlessly, unable to process words as his prince explored him, whining when the older man left his now burning erection.

Large, soft hands placed themselves over his shoulders for a split second before Vegeta threw his leg over Kakarrot's waist, straddling his thighs. The prince's shoulders hunched languidly above him, curling so the older man's handsome face was hovering over pert, hardened nipples, one arm hooking under and around to grasp tightly at the teenager's right shoulder. He made sure to position his hips in such a way as not to even brush the younger man's arousal, drawing out the carefully planned foreplay.

Delicately, he lapped at a nipple, rolling the other between the fingertips of his free hand. A mischievous smile spread on Vegeta's face, looking up from beneath his eyebrows to stare into Kakarrot's narrowed gaze with longing.

He couldn't speak, could hardly even breathe past the extraordinary sensations plaguing his senses. Vegeta too, was silent, except for the occasional helpless laugh of enjoyment when Kakarrot was finally able to articulate sound.

His prince's hot, wet tongue circled enough for it to stand fully erect before grabbing the pink nipple teasingly with his teeth. He felt suddenly hot all over, letting out low, breathy thanks into the humid morning air. His hips thrust involuntarily upwards, tail fighting its way through the sheets to secure tightly over a muscled bicep. He felt Vegeta's dark, beautiful chuckle ripple over his skin, just as arousing as the sweet torture.

He couldn't seem to control himself, shuddering and moaning on the bed. Vegeta was still wearing his pants, something Kakarrot was eager to change. He made another move to sit up, but was again prevented, the arm under his shoulder pulling down to keep him flush with the sheets.

"Mn, Vegeta, let me up." He whined, half playfulness, half frustration. His voice was breathy and hoarse, wishing to enjoy the sensations, but needing also to please his loving prince. "I want to take care of you too."

His lover smirked, nipping sharply enough to draw a helpless cry from Kakarrot's mouth. When he opened his eyes again, Vegeta's face was directly over his, hungrily attacking his lips with passion before answering.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Drawing back once more, he stared in amusement at the teenager's half-pout, running long fingers through dark, spiky, unmanageable strands. "You take care of me too often, Kakarrot." The hand in the younger man's hair was gently used to turn his head to the side, exposing what the prince sought. He leaned closely to his lover's ear, biting the lobe. "My turn."

The sensual, husky growl sent shivers down the younger man's spine, purr roaring back to life in his thrumming chest. Vegeta took that for consent, running soft, slow, open-mouthed kisses from behind his ear all the way down, worshipping his body.

A keening whine became steadily louder as he worked his way down, his pace torturously slow. About at the point where the prince had reached the younger man's navel, Kakarrot was quaking, pressure building steadily, though controlling himself enough not to interrupt. He knew from experience that the wait would be well worth it.

Finally, he arrived at his destination, drinking in the sight of Kakarrot's aching, throbbing erection. He slid down the teenager's muscled legs, giving himself more room to navigate, not needing to hunch so much over the hot, chiseled form. He wanted _all_ his maneuverability for this. To be with him. To savor him. To give to him. To _Kakarrot_.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

After the third attempt reaching him by way of his scouter, Raditz was worried. Vegeta always answered his scouter, and it was late enough in the morning that he would have been up for at least an hour by now.

He left his room, striding purposefully down corridor after corridor, scowl evident on his features. If something had happened to the prince that would make him unable to reply to Raditz' signal, he damn-well needed to know about it.

Even if the bastard was just asleep, Kakarrot would have answered. His brother knew his signal, and was aware how and when it was safe to answer a scouter, even though his class prevented him from having one himself. Raditz had taught him the sequence of beeps that alerted a call, the private channels only certain scouters could connect to, use, and breach. The teenager had picked up the steps surprisingly well, and had even called Raditz and Chiva for Vegeta before. Had he been in any state to, Kakarrot _would_ have answered his brother's plea, he was sure. That could only mean that something was wrong.

He didn't want to cause a scene, and flying like a madman through the palace would likely be the _worst_ thing he could do. Instead, Raditz just used a quick, solid, steady stride, the scowl on his face alerting any passers-by that he was not to be interrupted. Within no time, he was in the corridor to the prince's chambers.

Barb and Rhu were standing watch, laughing and joking with each other until thy saw his shape materialize down the hallway, snapping immediately to attention as he loomed into sight. Mentally, Raditz almost growled at that. _Damn fools. They should be paying better godsdamned attention. _He knew he would have had almost no problem with this behavior had it been under other circumstances, but in light of his recent worry, anything that could get Vegeta or his brother hurt was completely unacceptable.

"Rhu," He barked. "have you heard any word from Prince Vegeta this morning?"

"Um, well, no sir." He replied clumsily.

His worst fears solidifying in his mind, Raditz growled. "Stand aside, then."

"But," Barb, the stockier of the two soldiers piped in. "we are under strict orders not to disturb the prince this morning."

Turning a glare at the one who had spoken, the long-haired man scowled. "From who?"

"Chiva. She outranks us, so we cannot break the order."

"Of course," Raditz snarled, grasping the door handle. "I, however," He shook it, finding it locked. _Figures._ He fished out a key, fitting it into place as he looked back over his shoulder at the two guards. "outrank her. **-Don't follow.**" With that, he turned the handle and stepped inside, shutting it satisfyingly behind him and re-locking it from the inside.

He waited a few seconds, making certain the two guards did not decide to follow or call for backup. In truth, he only outranked Chiva in the prince's eyes because he had known Raditz longer. Other than that, he and his mate were equally matched and ranked. The two, fairly new guards on the other side of the door, however, didn't know that.

When no calls or beeping issued from the other side of the door, Raditz deemed it safe, turning to inspect the anteroom. His eyes and nose were alert, looking for not only the prince, but possibly blood or sign of a struggle. Everything was pristine as ever, from the table to the far right, cleared of all dishes, to the plush, even chairs set around an empty fireplace.

The sun filtered in from high windows, alighting the comfortable room in a heavenly glow. Nothing was out of place, he couldn't smell any blood... In fact, the anteroom looked entirely untouched.

Closing his eyes, Raditz let his other senses take over. He sniffed carefully, finding no trace of copper to the air, ruling out any bloodshed. _Maybe he really is still asleep... _The man thought, opening his eyes again._ No, wait._ His nose caught something.

The scent was something familiar, but he couldn't pinpoint what exactly it was. His ears perked up, hearing faint growls and whimpers from the other side. Scowling, sure that this was the explanation for why Vegeta had been or ignoring him all morning, Raditz followed them all the way to the prince's closed bedchamber door.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot's back was taut like a bowstring, arched in agonized euphoria. His prince sucked heavily around his mouthful, purring and moaning lustily to increase the younger man's pleasure. He couldn't think, couldn't speak, couldn't _breathe_ for the erotic, indescribable sensation filling his being. His eyes, wide and unseeing, suddenly squeezed shut again as he threw his head back against the pillows. Teeth raked up the underside of his member, making him clutch the sheets in iron-gripped fists as his muscles locked, so very close to the edge.

There were few things in life Vegeta seemed to love more than making his lover completely incoherent. Kakarrot was certain he hadn't made a distinguishable word within the last hour, and was very much okay with that. His prince was incredible, having painstakingly learned all the coves and hollows in his body that drove him to madness. Kakarrot knew Vegeta's sleek, mature body better than his own, and as too, it seemed, the prince knew his.

The older man's hot mouth left his throbbing erection for only a moment so he could nip heavily at the base with his lips- bring him back again from near-orgasm for the third time that morning. He whimpered longingly, harsh panting accompanying the whine. A hand reached up to his mouth pressing two, thick fingers against his lips. Knowing what they were for, he graciously accepted them, sucking heavily as Vegeta's mouth began again.

Vegeta knew Kakarrot didn't like it rough, but he knew he liked sensation. All of it, any of it, anywhere and everywhere. He liked to be played with, teased, caressed, stroked, and loved. That is what his prince did now, making sure his lover enjoyed every precious second with aching satisfaction.

At last, the fingers were withdrawn, immediately transferring to his tight entrance. The prince wasted no time, pressing the first in, causing the young man to writhe in ecstasy. He cried out sharply as the second expertly slid in, the sensory intrusion adding unbelievably to the sensation of Vegeta deep-throating his member. Soft, wet, tight, _perfect_. The fingers thrust, going ever deeper until, at last, they clawed sharply, having found their target.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

He heard heavy panting, smelled thick musk, knew, somewhere in the back of his mind what it must mean- but couldn't connect them. Raditz stalked slowly towards the door, hackles raised as he drew ever closer, until an echoing _scream_ issued from the insides of Vegeta's bedchamber.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Had he been able to, Vegeta would have smiled as he rubbed violently against Kakarrot's sensitive prostate. He could feel the flood coming, eager to allow it to continue this time instead of torturously draw back again. Kakarrot _deserved _this.

Eyes tightly closed, Vegeta swallowed thickly, savoring Kakarrot's essence as it flowed down his throat. That gods-sent, exquisite, perfect scream was as satisfying to him as Kakarrot's release had been. _Gods, I should do this more often_. He thought, letting the younger man's softened member slip from his mouth. He straightened his elbows, making a move to slink over, laying atop his lover- to snuggle with him as he settled back down from his violent climax.

He would have, if that hadn't been the exact moment when his bedchamber door was thrown wide, banging hard off the wall, making such a loud _crash_ that he grit his teeth at the sound.

"**What the hell is going on here?**"

Kakarrot squeaked in terror, grabbing up the sheet to cover himself as Vegeta snapped his attention to the doorway. At first surprised, he looked Raditz up and down, making no move to cover himself from where he was straddled over the younger man's ankles, face still hovering over the teenager's flaccid member.

"Raditz!" Kakarrot shouted, blushing furiously at the man outlined in the doorway, face the textbook definition of shock.

The long-haired bodyguard was spluttering, red-faced in either embarrassment or rage. _He looks exactly like Chiva did._ The prince thought, the shock of being caught in the act again making his heart-rate jump. Face blank, he addressed the man in his most authoritative tone. "Raditz, I'll speak with you in a moment, close the door." He growled as calmly as his voice could manage.

"What the-?"

"**Close the door.**"

Their eyes met, seeing the seriousness in each gaze and judging their reactions. Swallowing down his next statement, the angry-seeming bodyguard whipped around, slamming the door shut behind him in a furious swing.

Kakarrot, face pale from fright, continued to stare at it, the shock for him still not having worn off. "Vegeta..."

"It's alright." He repositioned himself, laying atop his lover like he had at first planned. Carefully, he cupped the younger Saiyan's cheek, forcing him to look into his eyes as opposed to the door. "He was going to find out sooner or later."

"But... He looks so angry..."

"Not at you, Kakarrot. I have a feeling I know what this is about." He stroked the teenager's face, slowly watching it regain its color. "You go take a bath. I'll deal with this and then go join you, alright?"

His eyebrows drew together in the middle, making his look suddenly irresistibly cute again. "But, Vegeta...?"

"Kakarrot," He looked at the teenager sternly, but then dropped the rough tone upon catching glimpse of the worry in his lover's eyes. He stroked the soft, tanned cheek. "This is something I need to discuss with him." He leaned his head forward, touching their foreheads together in a sweet, loving gesture. "Please?"

The younger male sighed, adjusting his face after a long second so that he could press their lips together in a light peck. At last, he nodded. "Alright, Vegeta."


	20. Chapter 20

Author's Notes:

I will be out of town on the 17th through the 21st of October. Since the 21st is a Sunday, Chapter Twenty-two will be uploaded on the following Monday. Next week (Chapter Twenty-one) will be uploaded as planned. :) Sorry for the inconsistency.

Warnings: _Emotion._

**Chapter Twenty:**

Vegeta pulled on a fresh pair of pants, cinching them tightly with one of Kakarrot's sashes, as he could not find his own. He remained shirtless, still rather sweat-slicked and dirty. _Besides, I'm about to bathe anyway_. He thought. _No real reason to ruin a shirt. _He sighed, straightening his back. _Raditz looked pissed. Still, that's only to be expected, I suppose. He is rather protective of Kakarrot. _Vegeta thought, sighing. With a last, reassuring look over his shoulder at his nervous lover, he turned the knob.

Proudly, Vegeta strode out of his room, immediately grabbing the seething bodyguard's attention. Kakarrot scurried out behind him, holding up the waist of his pants with one hand while he walked nervously to the bathing chamber, keeping his eyes on the floor. It was amazing how small such a large man could make himself seem by just his mannerisms. Then again, Vegeta had employed the same tactics since he was very young, making his small stature command authority. It was two sides of the same coin.

The youngest man stopped, glancing over his shoulder. Big, brown eyes locked onto his gaze for a split, heart-stopping second before he turned back to his destination, concern etched heavily on his handsome features.

Raditz' eyes followed the teenager's retreating back all the way there, not even blinking until the door was shut.

"What's he going in there for?" Raditz asked in a monotone.

"I asked him to."

"Why?"

The prince sighed. "Because he's already upset enough as it is, and really doesn't need to see his lover and older brother arguing."

Raditz growled, tail swishing angrily as he purposefully avoided Vegeta's gaze. The prince distinctly saw the word "lover" mockingly mouthed on the tall guard's lips, but he still didn't speak.

Venturing that he must be the one to begin the conversation, Vegeta finally stated. "You're mad at me."

Raditz' eyes closed, snarl curling his lip. "Oh, you have no idea."

"Enlighten me, then." He pressed, crossing sleek arms across his chest.

Vegeta had expected a shout, but instead, the long-haired man's growl deepened. Several long, hard, brittle seconds spanned ever onward as Raditz just stood there, seemingly gathering his thoughts. He didn't press again, only waited in the uncomfortable silence of the humid, spring morning air.

At last, Raditz' mouth opened, whispering the two most unexpected words Vegeta could have anticipated. "Why_ him_?"

Emphasis was stressed particularly on Kakarrot's pronoun, changing the tone of the entire discussion. The question shocked the prince. _Why him?_ He puzzled. Vegeta had been prepared for anger. Anger he could deal with, could defend against, defuse. This was worse, though. Much worse. Raditz felt betrayed.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot fell to his knees beside the bath, still clothed in his white pants, turning the faucet. He didn't want to be in here, away from the situation he had helped cause. He wanted to be in the anteroom, explaining his love to Raditz, defending Vegeta from his wrath, making his brother _understand_. But still, he followed his prince's order -_no, his request_- to leave it to him.

He dangled a hand absent-mindedly into the rising water, watching the tub fill. It reminded him of his and Vegeta's first bath together. _Well, we weren't really bathing __**together**_. The Prince of all Saiyans had knelt beside the tub, scrubbing carefully, yet still vigorously, at his servant's messy hair. He had said the same thing then as he had today. The playful "my turn" to have an excuse to return the favor- just like he had that morning when he insisted Kakarrot let him take care of his pleasure. It showed how far they'd come. They hadn't been lovers yet, or even really friends. They had just been two Saiyans, each from very different worlds, brought together by strange circumstances.

When it had all begun, five long months ago, things had been very different; yet, still very much the same. They had started so _formally_, being prim and correct in front of others. They still were. Though Kakarrot called Vegeta by name now, he still didn't dare use it around anyone else. Not even Raditz, who also called the prince by name. If another soul was anywhere near, he was once again Master- a title the younger man still treasured. From the beginning, he always separated the feelings he held for the words "master" and "Master", as, to him, they were very different. That single, necessary, capital letter changed everything. _Protector, pride, strength, ally, helper, _and now, _lover_. That was what Master meant, what his prince was. What _Vegeta_ was.

It hadn't been about the sex. It never had been, and never would be. It was purer than that. They had truly been lovers before they had really even made love.

That trust, deep, secure, strong, and true. _That_ was what had drawn them together. Had that trust not been there first, Kakarrot wouldn't have been able to even _face_ the possibility of intimacy. Before Vegeta, sex had been a terrifying experience- full of humiliation and pain both. But, in his careful, sweet, loving approach... The prince had healed him. It wasn't scary anymore. It was arousing, gentle, sweet- while it could also be vigorous and passionate all the same. Never rough, but loving. Physical pleasure was one thing, but it could never compare to being _loved_.

There was a point where simple gestures and words could no longer express the deep, thrumming synergy. They needed to give to each other in a way without words. To give and receive pleasure not for themselves, but for the good of their partner. To be _one_, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. That was making love. _Raditz of all people should be able to understand that. _Kakarrot thought silently, shutting off the tap. _He has Chiva, a mate. He knows._

As soon as the last trickles of water fell from the faucet, Kakarrot could hear some of what was happening outside the bathing chamber. It was distant, more like the suggestion of voices than any distinguishable words. Raditz' deep, masculine voice seemed to be carrying more than Vegeta's gravelly tone, but the prince was also speaking much more softly. Carefully, he stood from where he had been kneeling, absently drying his hand with a small towel as he passed. His pants were slipping down due to their lack of a sash, making him fist his left hand in the material lest they fall off. Pressing an ear to the tall door, Kakarrot listened.

"What?" Came Vegeta's shocked tone, sounding more confused than anything else.

"Why_ him_?" Raditz' voice issued from the other side, muffled, but still distinguishable. "I thought you were better than that, Vegeta." He spat, a deep, angered growl accompanying the vicious statement.

"I-" His prince began, jumping to defend.

Raditz cut him off. "You had suitors lined up at your door. You could have had any woman, hell, any _man_. You're the most powerful fucking Saiyan alive! You're the _prince_ for gods' sakes! You have your _royal fucking pick _of anyone on your godsdamned planet, but you pick _him_."

Kakarrot's brow furrowed. _What is he so angry about? I thought he was just being protective... But Raditz sounds __**pissed**__. _He shifted his fistful of fabric, situating the shuffling material a little better on his hips. Sighing in frustration, he wrapped his tail around the waistline, keeping them firmly in place so that he had control of both arms. _Besides, Vegeta didn't __**pick **__me. It doesn't work that way, and he knows it! Vegeta couldn't have __**picked**__ me any more than he __**picked**__ Chiva._ Kakarrot carefully pressed his freed fingertips to the doorframe, pressing his ear harder into the wooden door to better distinguish Vegeta's next statement.

"I didn't _pick_ anyone-" The prince began, but was again interrupted.

"Like hell you didn't!" The bodyguard was getting steadily louder. "My brother, with a power level so low it's fucking terrifying. My brother, only sixteen _fucking_ years old. _**My brother**__, who has been raped more times than anyone can __**fucking count**_. You chose him- for- for _that_!"

Kakarrot's heart sank, and with it, his anger rose. _How dare he yell at Vegeta about my past, like it's his fault! _He scowled, eyes closed so that he could better concentrate. _For __**that**__? He makes it sound wrong. __**It's not wrong. **_He ground his teeth. Kakarrot wanted to be out there. Staying, cooped up, listening at the door... It was almost unbearable. _Stop this, brother. _He thought, lips pressed tightly together to keep him from shouting through the thick door. He caught some indecipherable muttering, then jumped back from the door when his brother bellowed from the next room.

Raditz' growl was like a clap of thunder, his voice finally rising to a shout. "You could have had anyone, Vegeta. But no. You choose to fuck my _sixteen-year-old brother_! What makes him so special? _What has he done to deserve being __**violated**__ like that?!_"

It was too far.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Raditz' head snapped up, long locks of black whipping around at the earsplitting _crash_. Startled, he took an involuntary step back. Kakarrot, fur bristling, was striding purposefully towards him, a look of absolute murder etched in every line of his young face.

"Kakarrot," Vegeta began in surprise. "what are you-?"

The teenager ignored him, furious, deep, brown eyes set only upon their target. Within three more long, steady strides, he was standing before his brother. Kakarrot grabbed a fistful of the lightweight armor at the long-haired man's chest, yanking him down to his level.

He snarled in the oldest man's face, teeth grit, and panting heavily. Raditz had never seen his brother's power break over five points before, but now his green-shielded scouter was flashing, wavering in the low tens.

Shocked, Raditz stared into deep, pained, chocolate eyes. "How _dare _you." Kakarrot growled, face barely an inch from his. "How _dare _you even _suggest_ that Vegeta does not love me." The hurt in those low, threatening words was almost tangible, so evident he could almost touch it.

"I- wh-what?" He stammered, trying to back out of the younger man's vicious grip. His shield flashed again. _Fifteen? That's five times what it normally reads. _He would have been impressed, but was too preoccupied by the fierce expression gripping those familiar, young features.

"What do you think I am? Deaf? Stupid?"

"I-" The would_-_be defense was interrupted by a vicious shake.

Kakarrot held tightly, glistening, translucent, bitter tears wetting the corners of angrily narrowed eyes. "How _dare _you use such crude words to describe our love." He snarled. "You think we are merely _fucking_? What the hell do you take me for, Raditz? That I would just _fuck_ someone? Least of all Vegeta! Without feeling? Without _love_?" He shook the older man by the grip on his armor again, back straightening so that the shorter, younger man was looking _down_ at him. "How little do you think of me? Worse, how little do you think of _him_?" His free hand pointed in the prince's direction. "That he could just _take_ from me like that? Like I'm a _**whore**_!"

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Even without a scouter, Vegeta could feel Kakarrot's power rising. It still wasn't substantial, hardly any at all, but it was astounding for Kakarrot. It had multiplied several times, making him seem to crackle at the edges in the humid air.

This would have been excellent news, but hardly could be celebrated under the circumstances. Worse, now the prince was coming to realize it, Kakarrot was burning himself out.

Prince Vegeta attempted not to panic, but mostly not to worsen the scene any more. Kakarrot had never been in such a rage before, never seemed so very _powerful_ for a man with such little ki. Whether is was shock, fear, or just a wish not to hurt the younger man, Raditz was making no move to defend. He stayed in the tight grip, only staring transfixed into his burning eyes.

The angry, frustrated, helpless tears in his lover's eyes were falling more steadily now. Kakarrot was getting too worked up, expending his newly tapped energy as fast as it could bubble out. Still, ever onward, he continued.

"You..." He choked on his words. "You think Vegeta _violated_ me? Like the others? Like those men? _**No**_." His teeth were grit, but the toll was showing; Kakarrot's power was diminishing, he couldn't hold up much longer this way. "Vegeta _healed_ me, _saved _me, _loved_ me- in more ways than you can _fucking imagine_, Raditz! _Never speak so lowly of him._"

_I have to stop this. _He thought._ I have to stop this now._ Though no punches had been thrown yet, Vegeta felt certain that if Raditz opened his mouth one more time to speak, the spiky-haired male would truly snap. It was either intervene, or watch his lover beat the guard senseless until he collapsed from exhaustion. No matter how much of an ass he was being at the moment, Raditz was his friend too. He didn't want to cause a rift between the two brothers.

Cautiously stepping forward, Vegeta placed a hand on his lover's hot, tense shoulder. His head snapped around, glare still dominating his typically youthful features.

The prince swallowed. "Shh, Kakarrot." He whispered into the enraged teenager's ear. His other hand gently wrapped around his waist, pressing them together. "You have defended both my honor and yours. Let him go."

The command was soft, a gentle request more than an order, really. It took a few long seconds for the words to make contact, for the rage to die down. Still, it had the desired effect. Kakarrot's hand let go of almost its own accord, fingers still clawed in midair, grasping at nothing.

Raditz stumbled back once the youngest man's hand released him, back leaning heavily against the arm of a couch. He was panting, but didn't speak as he watched the two shirtless Saiyans interact.

"Vegeta," He muttered, seeming to come back to his senses. The clawed hand before him was dropped. Kakarrot sagged a little, making the prince wrap both arms around his to keep him upright.

"_Shhh._" He soothed, gently rocking.

The young man was getting heavy, muscles un-tensing with his draining power. Carefully, he let them both fall to their knees on the floor, arms still tightly clasped around the muscled, bare waist. He propped his chin on Kakarrot's sweat-slicked shoulder, whispering sweet nothings to him as he worked to calm down.

He went to press his cheek into the side of the younger man's neck, nuzzling softly, but almost cried out. The teenager's bronze collar felt _hot_, like it should have been burning him. However, there were no marks around his neck to suggest such a thing. Ignoring his scalded cheek, Vegeta circled around on his knees, coming to a stop before his lover with understanding in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Vegeta." Kakarrot whispered, wiping at the tear-tracks down his face with a heavily muscled forearm. "I should have stayed out of it. You told me to. I disobeyed." his eyelids were drooping, anger no longer feeding his power. His energy was steadily diminishing, snuffing out like a bundle of tinder, short, but intense.

Vegeta clasped one of the younger male's large, callused hands in his, the other reaching up to cup the sharp, trembling chin. "It's alright, Kakarrot." He whispered softly, as though Raditz wasn't in the room. He wrapped his arms around the younger male's torso, pulling him into a deep, loving embrace. "You did what you needed to, I can't fault you for that."

_I understand_. He silently sent, wishing the teenager could read his thoughts. He ran his fingers through the back of Kakarrot's messy mop of hair, scratching the scalp soothingly. Arms secured around him as well, holding tightly as the younger Saiyan slowly tried to regain control of his breathing.

"Thank you, my love." He whispered, a shuddering, deep sigh rocking his frame. Then, without another word, he passed out.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Raditz watched in fascination while the prince calmed his brother down. His scouter was flashing again, showing the numbers plummeting back down to its normal level. His heart was still beating fast, shock a large portion of what was controlling him. He swallowed thickly, silently observing Vegeta's fingers combing the mop of Kakarrot's black hair. _He looks so much like our father_. Raditz thought regretfully. _And those eyes... Just like hers..._

He and the prince whispered back and forth for a second, entirely ignoring him. Raditz didn't mind this. Kakarrot needed his space, and he, quite frankly, needed his own as well. A few more indistinguishable words were exchanged before, with a shuddering gasp, Kakarrot slumped forward.

Startled, Raditz jumped up to see why his brother had so suddenly passed out. Calmly, Vegeta stood, bending down to scoop the unconscious young man in his arms, ignoring the anxious bodyguard. He was limp in the prince's strong grip, apparently having exhausted himself within those few, short ki levels. Walking over to the unoccupied couch, Prince Vegeta set him down gently, stroking the side of his face with a finger.

The prince glared over his shoulder at him. "Happy now?"

Raditz stared, slowly recovering from his surprise. "His power shot up."

Vegeta scowled. "What, is that all you noticed?" He snarled, eyes narrowing. "What about what he_ said_, Raditz?"

Defensively, the long-haired man crossed his arms. "Of course I heard him." He mumbled, looking away from the two men. "Is... Is he okay?"

"I think so. He just needs rest."

Exhaustedly, Vegeta sat on the couch Kakarrot was sprawled across, sliding so that he could gently comb his fingers through the spikes of black hair while he was out. The prince glanced pointedly at the seat directly opposite him, almost daring him not to take it. With a sigh, the guard sat, letting the elbows of his crossed arms rest on the tops of his heavily muscled thighs.

Neither man spoke, Raditz carefully avoiding Prince Vegeta's gaze as he watched Kakarrot's chest rise and fall. They stayed that way for several solid minutes, not wishing to speak. Finally, Vegeta broke it.

"I do love him, you know."

Raditz' head snapped up, black locks falling around his face. The statement had been so soft he almost didn't believe he really had heard the prince speak. Vegeta's dark eyes were narrowed, looking at Kakarrot's flushed, yet somehow peaceful face. The guard opened his mouth to reply.

Faintly proud to hear how steady his voice was, Raditz asked. "Care to tell me?"

~•~ POV Change ~•~

"Tell you what?" Vegeta groaned softly.

The guard considered his words for a moment. "How..." He paused. "How long it's been going on for..." Raditz sounded nervous, seemingly testing the waters of a civil conversation.

"About three months." He answered, just as civilly.

"Three months..." The guard grumbled. "You kept this secret for that long? How?"

Vegeta sighed under his breath. "Luck. Luck and help."

Raditz looked stung. "You told others, but not me?" He covered temporary flash of resentment with a glare, but Vegeta saw through that in short order.

"Only one, and she found out much the way you did." He sighed. "We swore her to secrecy."

"Because of me?"

Vegeta smirked without any real humor, eyes coming back into focus. "No. In fact, if we'd had it our way, we would have told you long ago."

"Why didn't you, then?" Raditz, it seemed, was trying as much as he could to keep the accusation out of his voice.

Vegeta sighed, like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. _One day it will be._ His mind supplied sarcastically. After a moment of deliberation, he answered. "To protect you."

Raditz started visibly, this obviously not being the answer he had been expecting. "To... _Protect_ me?"

He nodded, focused again upon the thick, dark strands of his lover's hair. "And to protect him."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

He was drifting, the scene a distant sensation compared to the turmoil inside. Something in him felt... Trapped. Like there was a portion of himself he just _could not_ reach. His collar felt hot around his neck, like it should be searing his skin, but making no mark. It had done this before, but never to this extreme extent- never to the point of pain.

The distant, empty part of him felt like it had been stronger, if only for a second. Something in him retaliated, drawing back so tightly it became not merely uncomfortable, but almost agonizing. He felt like a dog on a chain, running only to find that his leash was too short, and then having that leash shortened further as punishment. It was disorienting, familiar, like it had happened before, and also dreadfully worrisome. He felt tired, in pain, helplessly drained, but also, distantly... Kakarrot felt safe.

Somewhere very far away, he heard the calming, deep, smooth texture of Vegeta's voice. No matter what, that voice could always make him feel secure. _My protector, my Master, my lover, my prince._ It felt comfortable, wherever he was, when he fought through the haze of pain. Fingers combed lovingly through his hair, their touch stilling his worry, and fighting away the sharpness of his pain. He was tired, and felt himself slipping yet again- out of this limbo between unconsciousness and reality. He didn't want to go yet. If he fell back into blackness, the pain would be gone, he knew, but so too would be his prince. He didn't want to leave Vegeta again. Using all that was left of his conscious mind, Kakarrot tried to hold on for a few more precious seconds to that deep, beautiful voice. To Vegeta.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The two men had been conversing for about an hour. The guard seemed entirely convinced now, no longer at odds with the idea of his and Kakarrot's relationship. _About damn time._ He thought, enjoying the brief lull in the conversation.

"I see why you couldn't tell me." Raditz mumbled. "I..." He growled under his breath, fighting with the words. "I'm sorry for my outburst, Vegeta. It was undeserved."

The prince nodded, accepting the apology without reply.

"You really make him happy." The guard sighed, finally uncrossing his arms, allowing them to rest on his knees as he leaned forward.

Vegeta smiled, eyes closing in a long blink. "He makes me happy too." He continued the gentle, soothing combing of Kakarrot's spiky hair. "He's a very special young man."

His lover's brother nodded, leaning back against the chair he was sitting in. A confused look surfaced on his features. "Vegeta?"

Lost in his thoughts, the prince muttered. "Hm?"

"I was wondering..." He gestured vaguely between him and the still unconscious teenager at his hip. "Who's the other guard that knows about this?"

Vegeta deliberated telling him for a moment. _Well, why not? We're all in this together now. It's not like Raditz and Chiva don't get along well, either._ He thought, fingers absently stilling._ They would present a better defense if they could plan how to protect him from my father together. _At last, seeing no reason against it, the prince nodded.

"Chiva."

Raditz suddenly went blank. His brow scrunched up, a range of several emotions seeming to grip him at once. "Ch-_Chiva_?"

Puzzled, Vegeta nodded. "Yes. She found out right around the time it started. She's been taking extra watches and keeping it quiet for us. As far as we can tell, we four are the only ones who know."

The long-haired bodyguard blinked, seeming like he had heard absolutely nothing of what the prince had just said. "Why didn't she tell me?" He mumbled to himself.

Vegeta was even more confused by this. "Raditz, given how you reacted right now, why _would _she? Besides, we made her swear."

"But..." The guard looked genuinely hurt. "She's my-" Abruptly, he cut himself off, eyes widening. Mid-phrase, he attempted to change what he was about to say. "_He's_ my brother."

The damage was already done. "She's your what, Raditz?" The prince demanded.

Blush spreading across his face, Raditz attempted to brush the issue off. "Slip of the tongue..."

He trailed off at the unimpressed look on Vegeta's face. "She's your _what_, Raditz?" He demanded again.

Elbows resting on his knees, Raditz buried his face in his hands. Long locks of black hair showered down behind him, framing the hidden face. "Oh, dear gods, she'll kill me..." He whispered, statement muffled by his palms.

"Raditz," He began again, but just then, the guard straightened.

His face turned away, but his eyes stayed very much centered upon Vegeta's. Without speaking, Raditz threw his hair over his left shoulder and grabbed the strap of his lightweight, stretchy armor. With an exasperated sigh, he pulled, exposing a very vivid, scarred, bite mark.

"You're mates!" Vegeta exclaimed, flinching violently as he stared in shock at the marking. "But-"

Letting the material snap back into place, Raditz made a pained expression. "Keep it down, will you?"

_Raditz has a mate? Chiva. Chiva and Raditz are mated?_ "How long?" He finally asked.

"... A few years..."

"_Years_? And you got mad at me for a few _months _with Kakarrot?" It wasn't an angry reprimand, but a reprimand nonetheless.

Raditz attempted to defend. "Well, it's not like she's your sister or anything."

"It's not like Kakarrot and I have been together for _years_."

"Well, you didn't even know her when we first became mates! She only became an official guard around the time he got here." He gestured at the dozing Kakarrot. "And we had to keep it a secret as much as you two."

Considering this, Vegeta finally agreed. "I see." He conceded. "There are rules about guards having relationships, but I didn't even think about the possibility of mates..."

Awkwardly, Raditz nodded, running his fingers through his hair. The silence stretched on for a few moments, neither man knowing exactly what to say.

Suddenly, a tiny smile graced the edges of his previously scowling lips. "It makes sense, you two."

The tension evaporated. The realization that they had all been keeping the exact same secret from each other made things easier for both men. Vegeta was no hypocrite, and neither was Raditz. The prince chuckled.

"Quite the coincidence."

"Hell yes." He mumbled, absently scratching the side of his jaw. "I'm just... Very surprised she didn't tell me."

"I didn't make her swear on her life, Raditz." Vegeta answered. "I made her swear on Kakarrot's."

"That would do it." The guard groaned.

"Had I known, I would have let her. We should have let you know sooner, but like I said... It was to protect you. I had no idea you were mates." He frowned a little. "That must have been hard for her."

Raditz agreed, propping his chin on a fist. "She didn't even slip up once, other than taking more watches than she normally would have. Mainly evening, which is the one she hates." He let a small smile touch the corners of his lips for a moment. "That woman..."

"She helped us a lot, you know." Vegeta told him. "You chose well."

The long-haired man sniffed, chuckling. "Chose... Now that's one thing I most definitely didn't do. It... It just... Happened, I suppose."

"Either way, I'm happy for you."

A fuller, more genuine smile broadened across his face. "Thank you, Vegeta."

"I wondered when you'd finally tell 'im, brother."

Both men started, jumping when Kakarrot spoke from his spot sprawled at the prince's side. He giggled at their reactions, purring sleepily as he smiled up at Vegeta.

"You're feeling better?" The prince asked with concern, heartbeat having resumed its typical cadence.

"Yeah, apart from a splitting headache." He murmured, snuggling against the muscled leg next to his head. "But not so weak anymore."

Vegeta smiled lovingly at him, stroking his scalp again just to hear the young man's addictive purr. "That's good."

Kakarrot smiled, turning on his side with a nod, facing Raditz. "I apologize for being so harsh with you, Raditz."

The older brother scowled. "Don't apologize. You were right." Raditz rolled his eyes.

The teenager's grin widened. "So, everyone knows everything now?"

"If by everyone, you mean me, you, Chiva, and Raditz- yes." The prince replied, gently stroking his lover's temples.

"Mm-hmm." He grinned, eyes closing under the gentle touches. "No more secrets."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

"Well, I ought to go. I need to talk to Chiva about this." Raditz announced, standing.

Vegeta stood as well, clasping arms with his brother. "Be careful."

The long-haired man smiled, whispering that he would. He unclasped his price's forearm, turning to where Kakarrot was still lying on the couch. "You'll be okay, kid?"

The young man rolled his eyes at his older brother. "I'll be fine. Headaches are hardly fatal."

"Well, take care of yourself, alright?" He smirked, reaching down to tousle the thick spikes so much like their father's.

"I will." He smiled back. "And if I don't, Vegeta will."

With an arm raised in farewell, Raditz made his leave, shutting the silent door behind him and locking it again from the outside. Grumbling slightly, Kakarrot pressed his fingertips to his pounding head.

"Are you really okay, Kakarrot?" Vegeta asked, kneeling beside the couch instead of on it.

"N-nothing I haven't dealt with before." He mumbled in reply.

"Would you be more comfortable in the bed?"

Fighting through the discomfort, Kakarrot managed a small grin. "Only if you'll hold me."

A gentle smile graced his love's face. "Of course I will."

~•~ Time Lapse ~•~

Instead of going to the bed, Vegeta had insisted upon carrying him to the bath. They let out the now cold water, refilling it with fresh, almost scalding warmth. The tub was huge, big enough for either of them to lie down in it completely, but just perfect for both of them to soak together.

Vegeta had set him in first, sliding in behind so that Kakarrot's back was pressed against his prince's chiseled chest. It was so relaxing, the slow, steady heartbeat coupled with the warm water and strong, loving arms around him.

The pounding in his head had all but left, retreating to a dull ache. Vegeta affectionately massaged his temples, fighting away any thought of the painful pounding's return. He moaned lowly, whispering his thanks through the humid, relaxing air. Vegeta chuckled in response, pushing his lover forward so that he could massage the cramped neck.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

"Your collar has cooled back down." He observed when his fingers encountered it. "It heated up when your ki rose."

Kakarrot nodded. "Yeah, it's done that before. Never quite as hot as this time, though."

"Do you know why?"

Kakarrot shrugged as best he could with Vegeta's kneading fingers loosening the muscles at the back of his neck. "No. It gets cold sometimes too. Maybe, since they're put on children with low powers, they're not made to be resistant to energy. Ki gets hot." Subconsciously, the young man wiped over a scar across his chest, an old ki burn.

"I've been wondering, Kakarrot. If they put that collar on you when you were a child, couldn't you have just slipped it over your head? It would be too big."

"My collar was smaller when I was a child." He answered absently, letting our a long groan when Vegeta moved down to his shoulder blades. "We have them removed and replaced every year... At least, the other slaves did."

"What do you mean? Didn't you have new ones too?"

"No. Well... I know that sometimes they'd knock me out, maybe they changed my collar then. The other slaves were always awake when theirs were replaced, though." He muttered, sigh causing ripples on the surface of the water. "I remember being told about some that had escaped as soon as the collar was removed. Without it, they were able to lead fairly normal, but meager lives. That's what the other slaves said, anyway."

"But you were always unconscious when they removed yours?" Vegeta asked, lathering a bar of soap in his hands.

"I guess so." He shrugged again. "I can't really remember a single day of my life when I wasn't wearing it."

Speaking carefully, Vegeta scrubbed his lover's shoulders and back with soapy hands. "Would you like to?"

Lost in his own thoughts, Kakarrot perked up. "Hm?"

"Would you like to know what it's like without a collar?"

The young man twisted around, meeting the prince's eyes. "Without... Without my collar?" He seemed shocked. "What do you...?"

Vegeta smiled genuinely. "I am the prince, after all."

He just stared, eyes locked resolutely upon his lover's. "We... I..." A lump formed in his throat, tears welling in the corners of hie eyes as he tried to comprehend this new revelation. A mix of emotions playing across his face, Kakarrot regained enough of his voice to whisper. "We can have it r-removed? I w-won't have to wear it?"

Vegeta nodded.

The teenager sat there, absorbing the information. _This must be a very new idea to him. _Vegeta thought, stroking a muscled shoulder. _But if it will make him happy, I will make it so._

Lively, deep, beautiful, brown eyes bore into him, straight through to his very being. They flicked back and forth between his onyx orbs, studying them in wet intensity. "Vegeta..."

The prince ran a finger down his sharp jaw, understanding flowing from him in waves. _Yes, Kakarrot. Yes._

Suddenly, the younger man turned around entirely, his knees on the bottom of the tub as he threw his arms around the prince's neck, weeping silently. Water sloshed out of the bath, soaking the floor, but the teenager hardly noticed. "Oh, gods, Vegeta." He whispered, squeezing tightly with the force of his emotion. "If... If I could be _free_ from it..."

The prince smiled, stroking his lover's tail. He felt salty beads forming in his own eyes at the helpless emotion Kakarrot exhibited. "We'll make it happen, Kakarrot."

A tear-strained cheek pressed against his neck, soft, sobs wracking the large, muscular frame. "Thank you, Vegeta." He whispered. "Thank you so much."

One of Vegeta's own tears fell, unable to hold them back any longer. His voice was constricted, emotion making him go weak. He held tighter to the silently crying teen, giving all of himself into the embrace. "Dear gods, I love you, Kakarrot."

Choked, Kakarrot replied just as softly. "I love you, too."


	21. Chapter 21

Author's Notes:

Remember: I'll be out of town next Sunday, so Chapter Twenty-Two will be posted on the following Monday instead. Sorry for the inconsistency.

**Chapter Twenty-One:**

Vegeta's knee smacked into the small, wooden desk for the third time in ten minutes, he being unaccustomed to its height. He cursed, more out of agitation than any actual pain. The prince was on edge, restlessly pacing the plain-looking, utilitarian office. He had been in here before, over five months ago, waiting of the exact same person- but for a very different reason. _Gods, if I had any other options... _He thought bitterly. _But I don't. _So he continued to pace.

He had tried everything in the past month. _Everything_. They had used every technology known to Saiyan kind, and some far beyond that. They kept quiet, paid money, did research, absolutely anything to get information as to _why_ it wouldn't work... But to no avail. Kakarrot's collar remained undamaged, intact, and irremovably secured around his neck, much to Prince Vegeta's distress.

Vegeta was at the end of his rope, grasping at straws, _trying_ with every ounce of his being to fulfill that one, seemingly simple wish. Every day brought the same results, the same disappointment, the same outcome. Not disappointment on his lover's part- none that he let show anyway. But the prince was devastated that he was unable to make that unspeakable, bare, heartbreaking joy a reality. The way Kakarrot had reacted... It nearly brought him to tears again just thinking about it. The young man deserved that sort of happiness all the time. It _ached_ in him that he could not make it so.

When they had discovered they could not remove the bronze ring by manual methods, Vegeta had needed to dig deeper. He had to know more about the collar itself, what it was, what it signified, and if all collars reacted this way. _Do they all sting to the touch? Where are they made? How do they appear to be seamless? If they are seamless, how are they secured?_

Vegeta, hating himself intensely for it, had needed to ask the teenager about that time, about the collar, his masters, what it was like. The cruelty sickened him, the emotional abuse made him want to cry, and the stories made him want to kill. _Especially that disgusting bastard, Cchini..._ Vegeta remembered bitterly. _He made my love's life a living hell. He deserves to be __**dead**__ by all rights. _He sighed, finally plopping down exhaustedly into the chair behind the desk. _But I am very grateful we didn't kill him... Even just for this._

Vegeta wanted to know how those old masters removed and replaced collars. According to Kakarrot, those who ran the home where he had grown up would do so to the other slaves once a year. When the slaves were bought, it was usually at a young age. Their life expectancy was low, as many had such insignificant power levels, they wouldn't survive past around twelve years. That meant that they were usually sold to work in a home around five... Until the day they died. It was sick, disgusting, wrong. Children with power that low were exceedingly rare, and they were exploited for whatever monetary value they had in those precious, short years they could live.

Kakarrot was an even rarer case. Sixteen, with a power lower than what he had been born with. That had never happened, as far as they knew. Even more unusual, Kakarrot had been sold from home to home. Most collared slaves stayed wherever they had been bought so that they could be easily found and have their collars replaced- that was part of the arrangement when one bought a slave. Kakarrot hadn't seen those masters that had raised him since he had left for his first home at five years old, so why was his collar the proper fit now- over eleven years later.

Bronze collars were reserved for those under thirty in ki. Those that weak rarely survived to adulthood at all. But Kararrot, through physical, emotional, verbal, and every type of abuse imaginable had _survived-_ but with a power level so insignificant it was downright frightening. That was the amazing part, though. How had Kararrot survived all that trauma without ki to protect him? How had the abuse not made his energy stronger, as it happened with other Saiyans? Much was unanswered, and some unanswerable. However, Vegeta refused to give in. He would do this, make it happen, _remove _that terrible mark of his love's character.

The worst part about the collar was what it signified. That godsdamned strip of tarnished metal gave others power over Kakarrot. Power they didn't work for, didn't own, didn't _deserve..._ But that was what they saw. It was very engrained within Saiyan nature to conquer the weak, and what could be weaker than one collared? There were two things in the palace that kept Kakarrot safe, not counting Vegeta and his personal guards. For one, the teenager's notorious fighting ability- and for another, Vegeta's crest. The example they had made of those two guards that had hurt the young man kept the other palace guard in check, as well as the palace staff. Even if one wishing Kakarrot harm had not heard the stories of those men's fates, though, they knew this: no one touched what belonged to Prince Vegeta.

Many at the palace were aware how fiercely protective the prince was of the young man, though they passed it off as him just being territorial. None of the other slaves or servants at the palace wore collars, which made Kakarrot stand out as being _Vegeta's_. It was a delicate balance they had to maintain. If any got too suspicious of how he treated his "servant", it might reach the king. To avoid this, Vegeta had needed to become more cold and cruel around others, especially to Kakarrot. His lover knew why, and played long well to his royal tantrums and outbursts, setting up all the delicate pieces for the public to view. It was hard, but it was necessary. Every time he screamed at his lover to get something done, or to do something faster, he was putting something else in place to save his life. That made it more bearable... But just barely.

A knock to the main door of the office snapped the prince's thoughts back to present. "Enter." He barked agitatedly.

The Lead Prison Guard stuck his head in. "Are you ready for him, sire?"

Determination in his eyes, Vegeta nodded. "Bring him in."

Neither Vegeta nor Kakarrot knew where the original slave masters, the farm, or his first home were... But they knew where Cchini was. The perverted old innkeeper had had the young man for four, long years. There was a great deal of difference between the size of a twelve-year-old and a sixteen-year-old, meaning that Kakarrot _had_ to have had his collar changed at least once while he worked there. That was why Vegeta was there, waiting impatiently for that heavy, iron door to swing wide; for Nappa and Elry to return; for Cchini to be drug into the room.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot stretched with a long, wide yawn. It had been a tiring day, yesterday. Yet again, they had attempted to remove his collar, but it was still stuck, undamaged but for a few scuffs and the slight tarnish and patina of age. He wasn't upset about it. Kakarrot had lived with his collar all his life, he could deal with it for the rest. Vegeta, though, had been distraught.

The younger man had soothed his lover, cooing him to come back to bed when he got up and began pacing in the middle of the night. That was something Vegeta did rather a lot of lately. Not just at night, but all the time. While Kakarrot loved everything about his prince, and loved the idea of his collar being removed, part of him wished his lover had never thought of it. If it didn't come off, it didn't come off- there was nothing they could do about that. He just wished Vegeta would stop beating himself up about it.

Kakarrot had held him, cooing softly to calm his troubled mind. The prince had been having trouble sleeping, meaning that Kakarrot had been the "protector" as they called it, more often than not. He treasured those sweet, precious moments, where the smaller man was pressed up lovingly to his bulkier frame. Kakarrot was almost seventeen now, and had grown a great deal while at the palace. He was a full head taller than the prince, but nearing the end if his growth spurt. He likely wouldn't get any taller than he was now. It was a delicately balanced, perfect combination. Just how it should be.

With that thought in his mind to start the day, Kakarrot rolled onto his side, wanting to open his eyes to his lover's face. He was disappointed, however, to discover only a crumpled pillow where Vegeta's serene, sleeping features should have been. _How did I not notice him leaving? I was holding him last night._ He sighed._ Maybe I was sleepier than I thought..._ With a sigh, he sat up, arms thrown up over his head in another stretch as he surveyed the window.

It was a fresh, warm, mid-spring day, rain falling in lighthearted torrents outside the glass. It was a warm shower, tapping calmingly against the palace, no doubt being the reason he had slept so late. The sun shone through the droplets, casting speckles of light to beautifully mar the room with dots, distorted by the water. A lovely sight to wake to, but still a little empty with Vegeta away.

"And so the sleeper awakens," A teasing, female voice answered from the doorway behind him.

Kakarrot cried out, jumping in fright before realizing to whom the voice belonged. "Chiva!" He scolded, falling back onto the bed with a thump, looking at her upside-down from the mattress. "You could've knocked."

"I've been in here for thirty minutes, kid. You're the one who decided to sleep in so late." She smirked, crossing her sleek arms over her chest.

Pouting, the teenager threw his arms up over his head, tilting his elbows and wrists relaxedly. "So, that's how long Master's been gone for?"

"It's just us, kid. No need for titles."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Kakarrot smiled. "So, that's how long _Vegeta's _been gone for?"

"About." She smiled, walking away from the doorframe and into the room.

"And that's why you're here, sister?"

Her grin widened at being addressed as such, leaning against a bedpost. "The prince had some urgent business to attend to and asked me and your brother to watch after you in his absence." Chiva answered.

"You make me sound like a troublemaker." Kakarrot grumbled.

"You are."

"Says who?"

"Raditz."

"And since when does he know what he's talking about?"

She laughed. "Well, he's my mate, isn't he? Must've done _something _right."

Kakarrot laughed with her, enjoying the light, private moment with his mate-sister. Turning back to seriousness, Chiva let her arms uncross.

"You'd better get up, Raditz is already in the gym."

Grumbling, the teenager grabbed a pillow, throwing it over his face. "Do I _have _to?"

"Kid, I've already waited half an hour for your lazy ass. Get up." She scolded playfully.

"Mrnnnnn..." He mumbled unintelligibly from beneath the covers.

"Alright," She muttered. "you leave me no choice." Smiling widely, with an almighty tug, she yanked at the white, springtime sheet.

The teenager squeaked, grabbing the material and holding on for dear life. "No, Chiva, stop!"

Humor leaving her face, she dropped the cloth like it had bitten her. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?" The woman asked with concern, moving over to the other side of the bed, where he was closer.

Blushing furiously, the young man scooted over to the headboard, grabbing a pillow and shoving it onto his lap. "No," He mumbled, extremely embarrassed. "I'm naked."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Cchini had not faired very well in the half year of imprisonment. He had dropped a significant amount of weight, becoming nearly half as bulky as he had begun. The once innkeeper was scuffed and dirty, but Nappa and Elry had apparently given him the liberty of a bucket of water, cloth, and change of clothes before meeting the prince. Not that that could do much to six months of filth.

His long, black and silvered hair was now more grey than dark, still jaw-length, as a Saiyan's hair didn't grow unless it was cut. The stubble around his jaw had grown into a beard that didn't suit him all that well, making the lower half of his face seem too large. What muscle he had once had was now made all the more prevalent by the loss of weight, but not entirely substantial.

Cchini was dressed in thin, grey pants, with a black sash to show his much thinner waist. The old, red coat and fancy leather straps were gone. He didn't deserve them at his station. He was weak, tired, disgusting, fuming... But also Vegeta's only source of information.

Out of everything Cchini was clothed in, though, the best addition to the man's garb was the single, thick, dull ring of metal secured around his neck. Not of copper or bronze, but of old, tarnished pewter. A collar. A prisoner's collar. _Fitting._ Vegeta thought savagely. _Very fitting._

"M'lord." Cchini bowed before the desk, snarling at the carpet. "How may such a lowly wretch as I be of service to you?"

Nappa and Elry stood to either side of him, eyes narrowed at the slimy innkeeper. _Let's see if he cooperates..._

"Do you know why you're here, Cchini?" Vegeta asked coldly.

"No, _sire_." He spat the last word, adding unnecessary emphasis. "Though, I'd hazard a guess that it has something to do with that little, collared slut."

Vegeta stood, tail bristling in anger. Nappa and Elry each grabbed a shoulder of the innkeeper, keeping him still while the prince prowled around the desk. "You're lucky to even be _alive_." He growled dangerously. "Hold your tongue."

"Oh, what an _honor_ it is, to stay down in that putrid, filthy dungeon by my prince's _mercy_!" Cchini mocked, trying to jerk out of the guards' holds. "I should've killed that damn whore years ago!"

"_Why you-_" Vegeta was ready to pounce, to dispose of this disgusting waste of Saiyan life, when Elry surprised him.

A small, powerful fist slammed into the innkeeper's face, crushing his nose in one solid, heavy blow. Crimson splattered the floor, dotting the tile, carpet, and desk front alike with a spray of blood.

"Elry!" Nappa shouted, now having to hold Cchini up to keep him from crumpling to the ground.

Seething, she pulled her fist back again. "You _bastard_." She snarled, grabbing the grubby, pewter collar around his neck. "Don't you even d-"

_I see... _"Elry." Vegeta announced, cutting her off. He too was seething at Cchini's words, but suddenly understood what the man was doing, or attempting to do. "Let him go."

She stared at the bloody prisoner for a few seconds, not changing her position. Finally, glaring daggers at all three men, she reluctantly dropped her hold, grabbing a shoulder to again force him to kneel towards the desk. _This is the exact reason I didn't bring Chiva and Raditz. _Vegeta thought exasperatedly. _Though they would likely have done much worse._

"Kakarrot inspires a great deal of loyalty, Cchini. I suggest you think twice before insulting him." The prince rumbled, remaining on the other side of the desk, closer to where the captive Saiyan was being restrained. "I could always call his brother."

The prisoner growled, fighting futilely to extricate his arms from the guards. "Please do. May as well finish off the lot of them!"

Elry made a move to hurt the man again, but was stopped by Vegeta's raised hand, ordering calm. _He was so afraid to die before... I wonder what changed_. "I'm not stupid, Cchini."

"Could've fooled m-" The female Saiyan's kick to his ribs made the innkeeper crumple, gasping for breath.

"_Elry!_" Vegeta reprimanded. "Need I ask you to leave the room?"

She blushed, whether from embarrassment or fury, he wasn't certain. "Sorry, sire." She replied, teeth grit. "Won't happen again."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot had had an excellent morning, despite the fact that Vegeta hadn't been there to enjoy it with them. _Wish he didn't have business to attend to today. _He pouted to himself, shoveling in forkful after forkful of food into his mouth.

After the three had finished training, they had gone back to the prince's chambers to wait for him, eating the already prepared lunch. _I wonder what he had to leave for on such short notice. _He thought. _He should've been back by now._

The rain had intensified, splashing against the windowpanes in rough torrents, warm from the approaching summer. It had been getting hotter every day, the heat-season beginning to rear its ugly head. That time of year was always intense, but for the first time, Kakarrot was content with it. _Maybe because I'll be sleeping indoors for it this year. _He thought, smiling. _Still, I wish Vegeta was here now. _Looking up from his plate, Kakarrot turned to Chiva, sitting on his left.

"Do you know what Vegeta's doing today?"

"Nah, sorry kid." She shrugged. "He only called me and fuzzy over here this morning."

"_Fuzzy?!_" Raditz said indignantly from his side of the table.

Kakarrot snorted loudly, needing several hard thumps on the back to dislodge the grape that had decided to stubbornly go towards the wrong pipe.

"Yes, fuzzy." Chiva smirked coquettishly.

Raditz rolled his eyes, attempting to subtlety hide the blush spreading across his face. "No, we don't know what he's up to. All I know is that shortstuff woke me up early to wait in the training gym, and then didn't show up for another hour."

It was Chiva's turn to roll her eyes. "Shortstuff? That's the best you can come up with?"

In a childish display, Raditz crossed his arms, leaning his chair back onto its hind legs and stuck his tongue out at her. Chiva a giggled, mirroring him. _Mature..._

"Now, now, get along, you two." Kakarrot laughed, gathering the empty plates in the center of the table. The only one with any food left was Raditz, popping berries into his mouth by the handful.

"Hey, love, can you keep watch on the troublemaker while I go bathe?" Chiva asked, standing up from her seat. "I didn't get a chance at the gym."

Raditz shrugged. "Fine by me. Can you keep watch when you're done so I can do the same?"

Walking over to the other side of the table, Kakarrot's mate-sister pecked the long-haired man on the cheek, turning to the tall wooden door to answer with her back to them. "Alright." They could hear the smile in her voice as she left. "Be back soon, troublemaker, fuzzy."

The heavy, wooden chamber door swung shut behind her, the clink of keys on the other side telling the brothers that she had locked it.

"Quite the lady you've got there." The teenager giggled.

"Tch," The older man replied, averting his gaze.

Kakarrot smiled at his brother, still a little pink from the kiss Chiva had landed on him. The teenager loved the fact that they could express themselves around each other now, no heavy secrets to distract from their family bonds. Chiva especially loved being able to show even slight hints of intimacy around those other than Elry, and took advantage of every opportunity.

Kakarrot too liked being able to cuddle next to Vegeta on the plush anteroom couches, without fear of his brother's reaction. He felt very much like how he imagined a family was. Loved, by three excellent, wonderful, amazing people: his brother, his mate-sister, and his royal lover. _It feels good, being among family. _He laid his face atop his folded arms in the tabletop._ Even Elry is part of that family. She doesn't know about me and Vegeta, but she helped Raditz and Chiva for years. _He sighed. _I should thank her for that sometime._

Even with how peaceful everything felt at the moment, Kakarrot felt an aching knot of worry in the pit of his stomach. _Vegeta..._ His senses alert, Kakarrot felt a sensation not his own flood his being. _He's angry... No, he's furious. Something's wrong._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The prince had finally sent the guards from the room. Had he not, Elry would have continued to beat every inch of the innkeeper, and Nappa looked like he wouldn't mind holding him up for her to do it. The tall, dark, female guard had protested a great deal while leaving, but Nappa, who had done so before, just walked out and she reluctantly followed. Now it was only a grubby Cchini on his knees, and a furious Vegeta hovering above him.

"Is it really that bad down there?" He growled dangerously. "That you would rather die than go back?"

Cchini narrowed his eyes. "You have no idea. It's disgusting, no food, no light-"

"And far less cruel than what was done to Kakarrot." He snapped angrily. "You will not succeed in making me feel sorry for you."

"So what did you drag me out for, highness? Wanted to gloat before you kill me?" He spat. "I thought I may as well make my last moments worthwhile." The disgusting man snarled.

The shackles on his wrists clinked uselessly behind him. The blind, seething, bare hatred each man felt for the other was almost tangible in the unadorned room. _This man is the reason Kakarrot has suffered so much... This man forced him to do things that scarred him physically and emotionally... He __**deserves**__ to die. _Vegeta felt his ki rising, but managed to gather it back under control. _I have a purpose... I must finish that first._

After some deliberation, the prince answered. "No," Vegeta growled. "if anyone has the right to kill you, it is not me. I would not rob Kakarrot of his rightful vengeance."

"Oh, and so I can be thrown back into my lovely cell once I give you what you want? How kind. I don't care what you dragged me out for, you won't get it. And threatening to kill me wont help you either, highness."

Vegeta smirked cruelly, crossing his arms over his broad, muscled chest. "Is that so?" He growled. "But, who said anything about killing you? I am _far_ more inventive than that." _Time for my reputation to do its magic._

Cchini's eyes narrowed mistrustfully at him. "What do y-"

He was cut off by the prince's raised hand. His fingertip glowed with a concentrated spark of burning ki. "You know..." He said offhandedly. "There were two guards here that knew of Kakarrot from your inn. They attacked him in a hallway the last time I talked to you..." Vegeta's eyes grew dark, fury and hatred burning deeply within him. "Do you know what happened to them?"

Cchini watched the finger glow. It wasn't the kind of ki one used to kill... It was the kind one used to hurt. _Something he knows damn well, as he's used it on Kakarrot._ The prisoner swallowed. "No... I don't..."

He raised an eyebrow. "If I recall correctly, one ended up with his tail broken in half, caused by Kakarrot's sister."

Cchini flinched, eyes still not leaving the finger. His throat began to quiver just the slightest bit. _You've broken Kakarrot's tail before too, you bastard._

"The other one ended up without a tail at all. Very painful, from what I hear."

Eyes widening, Cchini's mouth opened wordlessly. _A little more than he bargained for, no? _The prince thought cruelly. _Death is quick, and sometimes even painless. I am not so inclined for mercy this day._

"Unless you tell me what I wish to know, you will discover first hand just how much that hurts. Then, you will be _mercifully_ dumped back in your cell until you are ready to talk again. Then we will try again. I stop when you tell me."

Yellowish teeth chattered, mind inventing any number of sickening things to go along with Vegeta's threat. "What..." He gulped. "Wh-what do you want to know?"

Cruel smirk widening, Vegeta watched calmly as the ki danced across his fingertips. "Tell me _everything you know_ about Kakarrot's collar."


	22. Chapter 22

Author's Notes:

I would like to apologize (a) for this chapter being so short, and (b) for this chapter being up late. My internet was down, but it's back up temporarily, so I'm hoping it will upload this time.

Sorry, everyone.

Next update on Sunday as always.

**Chapter Twenty-Two:**

Kakarrot's arm draped lazily off of the chaise lounge he was comfortably curled on. He traced haphazard patterns on the carpet with the tip of a finger, lackadaisically allowing his prince's emotions wash over him. _He's calmed down some, that's good._ He thought absently, twisting a patch of the rug to form a spiral. _He was so upset earlier. Still is, but he's channeled it into something else..._

While he wasn't exactly happy that the prince's emotions were so negative, Kakarrot secretly treasured the silent contact. There had been many days like this. All-day meetings sometimes stretched on for so long that he was forced to sleep alone, fitfully tossing and turning until his prince returned. _I don't want this to be another of those nights._ He thought sadly. _He has a lot of responsibility, I know... But I miss him. _His heart ached. Part of him felt selfish- but the majority was justified with his thoughts. _He's my prince, my love. He belongs with me. _

There was no context attached to the emotions. Kakarrot had no clue what was so upsetting to his prince, why he was in such a state earlier, what was the cause. It had begun as a twisting, anxious knot in the pit of his stomach, becoming steadily more prevalent as the day wore onward. There had also been fear. A tiny, worrisome fear that made both men's hearts ache. Most notably, though, had been the unexplained, raging, extreme bouts of fury. They lashed through his consciousness like a bolt of lightning, severing all connection with the teenager's own world.

The sensations had been so far silent, but for a steady thrum of some indecipherable undercurrent, sweeping by so quickly underfoot that it was impossible to see its true depth. _I feel like I could drown in all that emotion..._

The absently moving fingers of Kakarrot's free hand happened upon a small snag, catching the digits on their path. He rolled onto his stomach, feet kicked up in the air childishly behind him as he then trailed the other hand across the floor instead, propping his chin on the heel of his free one.

It was a fairly new development, Kakarrot being able to feel the prince's emotions. When his mind was blank, they came more readily, and with more clarity. No images, no words, no context- just bare emotion. It was distressing on one level, while also a bittersweet comfort. Still, in the absence of his prince, it was enough.

He shifted uncomfortably again, lying on his back, staring at the tiled ceiling as he tried to let his mind calm down. _I'm thinking too much... _Kakarrot couldn't tune his lover in and out at will -_yet_- but he knew that a crowded thought would not be conducive to the goal he was attempting to achieve. His breathing slowed, eyes falling shut. Blackness blanketed the room, tinted slightly red from the light that shone through the barricade of his eyelids. His thick lashes tangled together, squeezed shut tightly above young, masculine cheekbones. The teenager's right arm pointed outward, the other lying comfortably over his washboard abs, mind relaxing. _Shhhhh..._ He hushed his shifting ideas, letting them lie slowly and silently in his subconscious.

_**"...you...Kakarrot...to...pay..."**_

_He's thinking about me...? _The teenager frowned in concentration, centering all his focus upon the words coming into his mind. It was the first time he had gotten any more than just vague feelings.

_**"...my...done...dare..."**_

They faded in and out, shifting, jumbled, confused. He forced himself not to think, only to center upon the nearly incomprehensible words. He couldn't afford to break his concentration.

Sensations bubbled up from that rapidly moving river, tide waning ever inward. Something was wrong, Vegeta was doing something- he didn't know what, but it would cause problems. He was losing control, there was little time.

_Something's wrong. I need to get to him._ He thought urgently. _I need to find him__** now**__._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

"H-his collar, sire?" The trembling innkeeper whispered, watching the tiny spark of ki with horror. "Wh-what is there to tell?"

Vegeta strode forward, watching the man collectedly as he moved the tiny, rotating bullet of energy from fingertip to fingertip. "Why won't it come off?" He snarled. "There's something about it- something _wrong_ about it. It doesn't scuff, or bend, or break, or anything!" The growl redoubled Cchini's trembling, making a distant part of Vegeta's mind smirk in satisfaction. However, the triumphant look withered, turning into a cruel, condescending sneer. "If _we_ can't find a way to remove it, how the fuck did you?"

He stared at the man's blood streaked, grimy face, preparing for a lie. Cchini's mouth dropped open in confusion. "H-how did I, s-sire?"

The prince glared at him, lip curling. "How did you change Kakarrot's collar?"

The prisoner swallowed thickly, eyes still trained upon the pulsing light. "I..." He blinked, pulse quickening while sweat beaded on his forehead. "I... I d-didn't..."

Vegeta stared at him incredulously, gaze boring into the other man's terrified, evasive eyes. "What?"

"I-I didn't ever change it..."

He was at a loss for words. _How stupid does this son-of-a-bitch think I am? _He thought angrily, gritting his teeth. "_You're lying_."

"N-no, I swear, sire!" Cchini's eyes went wide. "I never did!"

Vegeta struck out, grabbing the pewter collar around his neck and jerking him up to eye level. "You had Kakarrot for _four years_ and you expect me to believe you never changed his collar?!" He shouted angrily, shaking the man.

"I-" Cchini choked, spluttering in horror. "I di-"

"_You lie!_" His heart hammered."That's just as true Kakarrot _wanting_ to be your whore! Just as true as you claiming he _enjoyed _being raped and beaten every night!" Something snapped in his mind, fitting into place so tightly it was inescapable. _He's the reason. The reason the love of my life tosses and turns without me there, either to hold or be held. This piece of scum is a lying waste of life. He had once broken Kakarrot's spirit... He has beaten my love to within an inch of his life. I don't need answers... _His eyes narrowed. _**I need him dead.**_

The prince's hand moved of its own accord, the tiny bullet of ki intensifying to the extreme of white-hot metal. Eyes narrowed in unrestrained fury, he landed a hard, cutting slash across Cchini's torso. Blood splattered the front of his armor, the prisoner gasping in the numbness before agony shocked his system. His grip on the innkeeper's collar tightened enough to keep him upright. _You bastard- you've done this to Kakarrot, too! _Righteous fury lanced all that was left of his sanity, allowing the prince to sink entirely into the brutal savagery, exacting vengeance against the beast that had caused the love of his life such pain. _You deserve this, you son-of-a-bitch!_ No words could make it past the lump in his throat. He could neither speak nor breathe, only grunt with effort through painfully clenched teeth as he again slashed his hand across Cchini's chest, leaving a sickening, searingburn. He had wanted to do this since that night he had seen the teenager in the alley, bleeding and broken. He wanted to see Cchini like that. _I will do __**no less**__ than __**everything**__ he has done to my Kakarrot. __**He will pay**__._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

He still didn't know what was going on. All Kakarrot was aware of was the brutal, violent, terrible fury that seared his senses like the clean cut of a surgically sharp knife. He felt disconnected, caught between his own mind and his prince's, swept in that unrelenting, twisting, vicious tide between them.

He didn't know how, or why, but was present to one, solid, inescapable fact. _I __**must**__ get to Vegeta. __**Now**__._

And then he was running.

He heard footsteps following him, boot-strikes echoing like a thousand soldiers marching behind to drag him back. He pusehed past servants and guards alike, dodging obstacles, anything to get him closer to his prince. _No, I need to get to Vegeta!_ His feet his the stone faster, muscles straining as he ran blindly through the palace. He didn't know where he was going, what he was to accomplish, what the situation was, but it needed to be stopped.

A snag in the rug tore his legs out from under him, causing the teenager to fall with a painful, splitting _crash_. His chin scraped against the carpet, causing less damage than the tile would have, but still making his teeth gnash together, jarring his jaw. Kakarrot managed to find his hands and knees, breathing heavily, brown eyes closed tightly together as the boot-strikes got closer.

"**Kakarrot!**" Raditz came screeching around the corner, narrowly avoiding a spill himself as he finally was able to slow to a stop beside his panicking younger brother. "What the he-"

"Raditz!" The teenager looked up with tears in his eyes, breath sobbing out of his lungs. "Vegeta needs me. He's going to do something that he will regret. He will never forgive himself, _he needs me_!"

"What? Did the prince contact you?!"

The use of his lover's title shocked him back enough into reality so recall that he wasn't to address his prince by name apart from when they were alone. He wiped with the heels of his hands at the tears of worry streaking his slightly scratched and scuffed face. "Master needs me, I must see him!" He cried, attempting to get back to his feet.

"You're hurt!" His brother protested, stepping in front of his path.

"_You don't understand, brother!_" He whispered desperately, ignoring the onlookers as though they didn't exist. "He's about to make a terrible mistake I can't let him do that!"

"What is he going to do?" The long-haired man demanded, holding the teenager's muscular shoulders, keeping his at arms' length.

Kakarrot took a deep breath, jaw still clenched as his brown-eyed gaze locked onto his half-brother's. He swallowed hard, forcing the tears to stop, at least only for now. Raditz' brow furrowed, watching his as he finally opened his mouth to answer.

"**I. Don't. Know.**"

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Blood saturated the fronts of both men, nearly nose-to-nose in the now crimson-streaked, utilitarian office. He wasn't calming down. He _couldn't_ calm down. He had wanted to cause this waste of life pain and fear for so long... Now it seemed that once he began, he couldn't stop.

The vicious, red burns across his chest were shiny and twisted, vividly paying testament to every single similar mark that colored his lover's muscular chest. Every lash was with purpose, every agonizing mark made to combat the pain he had felt through his lover's gruesome tales of punishment. Every stroke of fear that had been caused by this man would now be paid for, every lash of a whip replaced by hot, searing ki. _I want him to have scars that last forever. Even if he won't._

"**Don't lie to me again, Cchini**!" He shouted, roughly jarring the man's frame by way of a vehement, adrenaline-fueled shake.

The innkeeper coughed, blood and saliva spraying from his mouth as he fought to speak. "I d-didn't change his c-collar-" He lapsed into another fit of coughing, wounds pumping blood across the office floor. "Th-_they _did!"

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Raditz skidded to a halt, his brother's arm thrown over one shoulder to support him. One of his kneecaps was fractured, the fall having caused more damage than either of them had at first suspected. He wouldn't have been able to run, though the long-haired man knew his brother would have tried.

"That way." Kakarrot pointed towards the end of the hall, panic still in his voice. "Right through that door."

Looking in the indicated direction, Raditz felt his blood run cold. _Oh shit..._ "No, Kakarrot. We can't."

The teenager struggled, trying to free himself from his older brother's grip. "No," He ordered. "let go. He _needs_ me."

"Kakarrot," Raditz demanded, not letting his brother free. "We can't be here, you especially."

The teenager tried to fight, but with his fractured leg, he was too hindered too much against his brother. "No, Raditz!" He screamed, fighting tooth-and-nail to free himself. "It's life and death!"

"You can't be here, Kakarrot!" His scouter was beeping, power levels rising to frightening heights on the other side of the gigantic, iron door. "The prince has instructed that you are not allowed in this section of the palace!"

A sharp elbow caught him hard in the stomach, but he was able fight through the discomfort and secure his arms around his younger brother's upper arms and waist. Whether Kakarrot was a better fighter or not, Raditz had ki.

He struggled, sobbing. "No, Raditz!" The older man began dragging him back, having recognized both power signals on the other side of the door. "_**Let go!**_"

The bodyguard pulled back, making his younger brother's neck fall against the side of his own, pressed with his back to the wall, and Kakarrot's back to his front. "Calm down, Kakarr-" He cut off, immediately feeling the searing, terrible heat hit the side of is exposed neck.

Kakarrot's collar was burning.

So preoccupied had he been with the two on the other side of the doors, Raditz had neglected to notice his younger brother's rising power. _Shit, shit, shit! Vegeta said to avoid letting is power spike at all cost!_ He continued to fight, restraining his Kakarrot from the man that had caused a thousand nightmares that still plagued the teenager's sleep. _If I don't let go, he could burn himself out... But if he sees that bastard, it could get worse!_

Teeth grit, heart aching at the panicked, sobbing cries from his brother, Raditz weighed his options. _I hope this works... 3... 2... 1..._

He let go.


	23. Chapter 23

Author's Notes:

Warnings: Misunderstanding, unbeknownst mental communication, deliberate mental communication, and a snarky Elry.

Okay, I've given shout-outs to a few people, but neglected to give this one until now: Thank you cssndrfox, for reviewing every chapter since the first. :) I really appreciate your constant support of my story.

On with the show!

**Chapter Twenty-Three:**

Kakarrot's feet slapped stone, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes. His knee was throbbing with every step, threatening to collapse beneath him, but he willed it not to. _Just until I get to the end of the hall. _The teenager thought desperately, panting with ragged, sharp pulls. He wasn't sure why Raditz had released him, but couldn't dwell on it in his present state. The urge to reach his prince was overwhelming, there was no time. _Before it's too late..._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

"They? Who's _they_?" Vegeta shook the broken, bloodied man.

In his righteous fury, he had forgotten why he was there. _Why_ Cchini was out of his cell. _Why_ Vegeta had begun to beat the life out of him. _Dear gods, what have I done?_

The prince's fists were crimson, his entire front splattered with blood. It was a sickening sight. Red painted in harsh slashes and spraying dots around the walls and floor, telling the gruesome tale of his losing control. _He has seconds left... I've killed my only way to answers... I've failed Kakarrot._

With that thought came desperation. _Seconds... Seconds are enough!_ He shook, grabbing Cchini's pewter collarto bring him back up to eye level. "Wh-" His voice cracked. "who are _they_?"

"_The K..._" Cchini coughed harshly, adding yet more strings of blood to run down his chin. He fought for breath, pushing back the blackness, but the agony was sinking him down. Eyes distant, he attempted to answer again. "_K-_" Another spluttering cough.

Cchini could answer no more.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The door crashed open with an earsplitting clang, shocking both bodyguards out of their previously relaxed states. Elry and Nappa sprang backward, narrowly catching sight of a blurred figure racing towards the other end of the dungeon. _What the-_

Elry watched, mind attempting to make sense of the situation. Out of reflex, she began building a ball of ki in her hand, hot and burning, enough to wound, but not kill. The bulky silhouette was sprinting at full speed towards the office where Vegeta was interrogating Cchini. She had to stop them at all cost.

The tall, dark woman raised the arm, ready to throw it, but something didn't seem right. _My scouter didn't warn that someone was approaching..._ She thought. Quickly, she glanced at her red shielded device, noting the numbers. _What? Twenty-three? _Her hand remained raised, but the energy gripped in her fist fizzled and died immediately as the realization hit her. _Oh shit._

Nappa's hand was also raised, prepared to fire a killing blast. _Damn idiot!_ "Nappa, wait!" The tall woman grabbed the bald guard's gigantic forearm, throwing his aim off.

Time seemed to slow as the fierce ball of blue power smacked the stone, throwing a thousand tiny, cutting shards into the room. She held her breath, watching with wide eyes. The blast threw the teenager off balance, but thankfully, he wasn't hit by any stone. So focused was she on Kakarrot's well-being, Elry didn't see the shard heading directly for her. She cried out in pain, recoiling when one small chunk of stone slashed her cheek, Nappa making a similar sound of discomfort. Still, she breathed a sigh of relief. _Good gods, what the hell's gotten into him?_

"What did you stop me for?!" Nappa shouted furiously, attempting to get out of her still vicious grip on his elbow. "I'm your senior officer, you do _not_ order me around!"

"D'you have any clue who that was?" She snapped, shoving his arm away.

"Why the fuck does that matter-"

"Because it was _Kakarrot_, dumbass!" She roared, gesturing angrily. "What do you think the prince woulda' done to you if I let you kill 'im?!"

The anger melted so suddenly from the man's features it was almost comical. "The... The servant boy?"

She narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms. Elry felt blood trickle from the wound on her cheek, but ignored it. Such a trivial slash could be dealt with later. "Yes. You know how protective the Prince Vegeta is of that kid." She answered venomously. "Ya' can thank me later."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The explosion to his left almost sent him sprawling, but the teenager was able to recover from the near spill, just running, just wanting to get there in time. Kakarrot didn't even look back at whoever had fired the ki blast, to absorbed was he in this all-consuming need. He dashed down hall after hall, not knowing where he was going, but _knowing_, without a shadow of a doubt, that he would find his prince there. A door at the end of the last corridor caught his attention like he'd been searching for it specifically, though he knew he had never been near such a place in his life. _Here!_

The office door burst inward, rebounding off the stone wall to its side so forcefully it nearly shut itself again. Heart beating wildly, eyes wide, he took in the scene.

Vegeta, kneeling.

Vegeta, not moving.

Vegeta, in a pool of blood.

He screamed.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

He was stunned, uncomprehending, unable to understand this sudden turning of events. Cchini's last breath had just left his lungs, eyes wide, paying testament to his tattered soul no longer bound by its body. He had been weeping, grieving, not the loss of the disgusting man he had just killed- but the loss of that precious information he could have given. _I have failed Kakarrot._

No one now knew the secret of the collar. No one could remove it. It would remain forever affixed to his lover's neck, undamaged, unmoving... And it was all his fault.

The drying blood on his cheeks turned slightly pink as the tears from his eyes shamefully rolled down them. _I am a prince. I should not cry._ His pride demanded, but they stubbornly continued to fall. There was a heavy ringing in his ears, an emptiness in his soul. He was drawing away, from the world, himself, his lover, everything. He felt hollow, a husk, a shell of his former self as he stared at Cchini's lifeless, broken remains. The crimson pool he knelt in was becoming thick, coagulating on his spandex covering, but he paid such physical, mundane things no mind. No, instead he focused, trying to fit into words what he would tell his lover when he managed to leave this room. How he would face Kakarrot's sad, hopeless, and possibly angry eyes when he discovered what Vegeta had done.

So loud was the ringing in his ears, Vegeta barely registered the loud crash of the door; too absorbed was he in his failing, his misery, his lover's suffering. A voice, desperate, pleading, terrified, called from the doorway. The only voice that could have awakened him in this state.

Kakarrot's voice.

"_**Master**_!" The scream shattered his soul, the depths of that sadness unable to be understood.

The prince turned his head, shocked out of his misery, only to have it intensify a thousand fold when his onyx eyes locked onto the tear-filled brown orbs in the doorway. "K-Kakarrot!?"

"Master!" He sobbed, every kind of pain in his voice breaking Vegeta's heart. "Oh, dear gods, Master!"

_What's wrong? Why is he here? _The realization hit him like a slap to the face. _He knows... _Vegeta thought, stomach feeling suddenly like it was filled with lead. _He knows I've destroyed our last hope._ He opened his mouth to speak, but couldnt find his voice. _**Pain.**_ A pain, both physical and emotional slammed into him like a bolt of lightning. _What the-_ He understood. _Kakarrot's pain._

"Kakarrot, you're hurt!" The prince sprang forward, grabbing the crumpled teenager from the doorway to hold him in a clinging embrace. Blood from the front of his armor wiped across the younger man's bare chest, still heaving with heartbroken sobs. Vegeta pulled them both into the room, clear of any seeing them down the hall, before solidly swinging the door shut. He reached to throw the bolt, but found the piece of metal shattered. Improvising, he grabbed the clasp where the lock attached, heating it with ki and twisting the pliable metal. It formed a makeshift seal that would hold until he untwisted it. Until he quieted Kakarrot's pain. Until he calmed his lover down. Until he explained.

"_V-Vegeta_..." The teenager whimpered, clutching to the prince's back with every ounce of his considerable strength. "I almost d-didn't make it in time!" He sobbed, shoulders rocking as he fell across the older man's chest. "I- you- you were going to do something horrible!"

His heart sank, falling into the pit of his stomach as the self-loathing reared anew. "I did, Kakarrot." He whispered, running bloodstained fingers through his lover's black locks. "_I've failed you_..."

The teenager's face pulled back, red-rimmed eyes watching his with confusion. "What, h-how?"

He took a deep breath, unraveling him more than steadying. Eyes fell closed, unable to watch the fullness of that final hope break. "I killed Cchini."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The confusion grew. Deep brown stared intently at his lover's closed eyes; one young, rough hand reaching up to cup the back of one of Prince Vegeta's. "You what?"

The glow of life, of love, of everything his prince represented was drawing away. It sucked itself from the air, making the teenager feel lifeless without its presence. _**Despair.**_ He felt the emotion hit him in a low gust; like the gentle, sweeping, devastating erosion of all joy in his lover's life. Vegeta was drawing away, not physically, but mentally.

"I killed that damn bastard." He whispered brokenly. "He could have given us answers..." Onyx eyes squeezed shut in pain, face turned to the side, tears leaking anew. "He had something, I _knew_ it. But I let my anger get away from me..." The royal's forehead landed on Kakarot's shoulder as he continued. "I am not fit for you, my love. You felt it- you knew that I was going to do something horrible. I did. I killed your last hope."

_My last hope? I don't understand... Cchini holds nothing for me but pain, bad memories, bringing back things better left forgotten. _Kakarrot cooed softly to his prince, hushing and caressing gently at his muscled sides. He didn't interrupt. Vegeta needed to clear what he thought was done wrong. It was Kakarrot's duty to comfort him in this time of need, rarely exhibited by the Saiyan Prince. To be his protector. Wet tears mixed with dried blood, painting his shoulder slightly pinked while Vegeta whispered his suffering.

"And here I am, like a weakling, a fool. You hold and comfort me, when it is you I have so horribly wronged. It is you my actions affect. I don't deserve-"

"Hush." The teenager interrupted shortly. "None of that."

Vegeta looked up, a little stunned. "But-"

"Vegeta," Kakarrot sighed knowingly, sitting the prince back up. He carefully cupped a cheek, fitting his fingers so they curled beneath the prince's ear. "You _are_ worthy. You are my prince, my friend, my love." The younger man brought Vegeta's face forward, pressing lips to his lover's crinkled brow. "Why would I be upset at you for killing Cchini?"

"He was our last hope..." Vegeta replied, eyes bright with sadness. "I killed your only hope for freedom"

"No," Kakarrot whispered. "you didn't."

"He's dead!" His prince choked. "Now any information he could have given us is lost. You felt it, you knew. That was the horrible thing you were trying to stop, wasn't it?"

The teenager shook his head. Dark brown eyes searched, love and understanding so strong in them it was almost a physical ache. "No, it wasn't."

Dejectedly, Vegeta looked away. "Why did you come, then?"

"I..." He paused, considering how to fit the sensations into words. "I _felt_ you. Like it was me. Like your emotions... Belonged to me." His brow crumpled into lines of concentration. Attempting to describe such a pull made it sound wrong. He couldn't express it with words. "Here-" Kakarrot grabbed the prince's wrist, placing it directly over his heart. "... Feel it...?"

~•~ POV Change ~•~

At first, Vegeta was too absorbed in his own emotions to feel anything at all. He studied the solid, slightly elevated, thumping heartbeat in his lover's powerful chest, searching for meaning in the steady cadence. The heartbeat lulled him soundly, drawing him in, calming him down. Each beat brought something closer, like he was flowing into Kakarrot. Not with ki, but with his... _Self_? Some part of him was flowing towards, into, becoming a part of -at least for a little while- Kakarrot's being.

Without warning, the mental wave slammed into him.

A pull, a need, a desperation. It drug him, drove him, needed him as much as he needed it. It was so _strong_, undeniable, aching. It began as an angry buzz, building to a righteous fury. It was like a loop, a playback of his emotions. His emotions _as Kakarrot had felt them_. In all that desperate need, that thumping desire, the wordless, emotional, life-and-death pull. It almost made him gasp at the severity of such feelings, but the familiarity keeping him from losing control again. It flowed across him in waves, like a rushing river, the high tide. Something told him to run, to go, to find the source of this uncontrollably rent passion. To get to it, before _something_ happened. He didn't know how, or what, or when, or why... But it was more important than life itself. No matter the consequences, he _had_ to get there in time. It got so intense... Like it could never cease, but then... It was all suddenly gone.

_Gone. __**Gone.**_ The word had never held such meaning before. Something he hadn't noticed until it wasn't there anymore. A warmth in his chest, a candle suddenly snuffed out, the echoing loneliness was closing in around him without that precious heat. The blackness, the emptiness, the biting cold. He was... **Gone**.

Mentally, Vegeta fell back into his own body. It took a few seconds to right himself, eyes streaming from the intensity of such feelings. First, reliving his own loss of control- and then his lover's desperation to get to him. _Before it was too late, he said..._ "You..." He swallowed, voice becoming particularly rough. "You thought I was dead."

The emotional upheaval pulled yet more tears from the teenager's eyes, both of their eyes. His lover slowly nodded, throat refusing to let him speak until he managed to swallow down the fresh wave of rekindled fear. Reliving such pain had cost him, but he had done it so Vegeta could understand.

"First... I just needed to find you. I needed to calm you down." The teen's breathing was labored, eyes bright. "Then... I didn't know how, or why... But you felt... Gone." He shuddered at the remembrance of such a sensation. "And then I burst in, and I saw you covered in blood..." He wiped at the salty beads on his cheeks. "I-I thought I had been too late."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Raditz burst into the outer dungeon room, finding a shocked Nappa and a seething Elry to either side. The tall woman had a slash across one cheek, oozing a steady stream of blood. She gave it no attention, seemingly aggravated at something. Nappa's forearms were covered in tiny scratches, enough to have cut his skin, but only a few bled, the rest being too shallow to draw blood. He needn't wonder long what had caused them, as his eyes passed onto the floor approximately fifteen feet away. It had been devastatingly blow apart, stone chips scattered everywhere, dust still hanging in the air.

"Is everyone alright?" He shouted, bringing both guards back to present.

"We think so." Elry nodded. "The kid didn't get hit, if that's what you mean."

Raditz sighed with relief, finally able to catch his breath. "Thank the gods."

"What the hell's gotten into him?!" Nappa demanded, his shock giving place to annoyance. "The prince ordered that he not be allowed in this section of the palace!"

"Prince Vegeta called for him." The long-haired man lied smoothly. "As he hasn't kicked the kid out of the room yet, I'd suppose he wants him there."

Nappa rolled his eyes. Senior officer or not, it was beginning to piss the other man off.

"Who sent the blast?"

Elry, leaning with her arms crossed against a back wall, piped up. "That would be the genius standing t'your left." She growled, hand flicking out casually to indicate the gigantic, bald man.

"Hey, he was running too fast for me to see who he was! Didn't announce himself or anything, just sprinted in like he owned the place!" Nappa threw up his hands in frustration. "What the hell was I supposed to have done?"

"Thought?" She snarled sarcastically. "Thank the gods I read my scouter first."

That statement piqued Raditz' curiosity. "How high was his power?"

"Twenty-three."

The long-haired Saiyan ran a hand over his face in an exasperated gesture. "Fuck."

"Why?"

He didn't answer, but instead chose to set the matter aside. It could be dealt with later, and his brother was in safe hands for the time being. "Never-mind. Let's get some servants in here to fix the tile while we secure the area."

"Secure the area?" Nappa asked gruffly. "From what?"

"Kakarrot ran from one side of the palace to the other. There are bound to be a load of angry bystanders trying to catch up with him. _They_ are most certainly not allowed in this section of the palace, so we should keep them away."

Elry shrugged nonchalantly. "Makes sense. I'll start scouting ahead. If I run into any servants I'll send them back here to at least sweep up the stone. The kid's barefoot, so it'd be dangerous when he comes out."

Nodding, Raditz thanked her, turning to head off any that had been following his brother's flighty escape. _He'd said it was life-and-death..._ The man thought solemnly. _I hope he made it in time._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Arms enveloped his back, pulling the younger man into a tight embrace. _Oh, Vegeta... _He thought, gripping the prince's armored back with strong fingers. He nestled his face into the crook of Vegeta's muscled neck, breathing slowing down, pain leaving him but for the steady throbbing of his broken knee.

"Are you really okay, my love?" His prince whispered, running his nails in a soothing, soft stroke across the younger man's back to relax him.

"Well, my knee's broken... And my ki spiked."

"Do you feel faint?" He asked, attempting to keep the worry from his voice.

Kakarrot shook his head, hot breath fanning against the side of his prince's collarbone. "No. I feel drained, though. But I'm not going to go unconscious like last time."

"How do you know?"

The teenager shrugged. "I don't. But saying something aloud makes it more real. I don't want to pass out. I want to stay here with you. Now I'll have to keep my word not to faint." He smiled, savoring the heat Vegeta radiated, even on such a warm day.

The prince chuckled. "You truly are a wonder, Kakarrot."

Comfortably, the younger man let his tail curl over one of Vegeta's wrists. "I love you." He whispered, relaxedness and calm almost infectious.

Letting out a deep sigh, Vegeta answered in his turn. "I love you too."


	24. Chapter 24

Author's Notes:

Up a few minutes late- my apologies! ;_;

**Chapter Twenty-Four:**

True to his word, Kakarrot remained conscious the entire way to the medical unit, carried securely in Raditz' arms. The prince would have held the younger man himself, but was afraid of breaking their public display. They had been so careless before, back when Kakarrot first arrived. _He wasn't anything more than a servant then. There was no reason to be careful._ He reprimanded himself silently. _Now there is.._.

His lover was whimpering, but attempting to disguise it under a soft laugh. What had originally seemed to be a small fracture was now proving to be much worse. Had they gotten to the medical bay as soon as he had fallen, it would have been fine. Instead, the teenager had run on his broken knee with such force that would have hurt his joints even if they were in good condition. The adrenaline rush of getting to Vegeta had kept the pain at bay, but was now blinding Kakarrot with full intensity. He needed attention, and he needed it _now_.

The younger man's fighting ability could be devastated by the bone not healing properly, and that was something Vegeta could not bear to imagine. The fluid, natural grace of his lover's stance, marred by such a slight fracture would be more than a shame, but a travesty. It would break Kakarrot's heart if he couldn't fight properly again, if at all.

That thought in mind, Vegeta picked up his pace, forcing Raditz to do the same, lest the brothers fall behind. _Quickly._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

_By the gods, not again._ King Vejiita railed, pacing his lavish rooms in a furious huff. The latest woman he had brought to his bed was sitting atop the richly woven sheets, naked but for her fall of long, curly, brown hair. She watched his angry demeanor build like a raging thunderhead on the horizon, apprehensive to approach her furious king. He ignored her, face drawn in an attempt to keep his worry and frustration at bay. _Frieza's coming again. _

The king released an involuntary growl, hands clasped behind his broad back. _What the hell does he want with us? We've given him all the damn troops he's asked for! He's already killed three thousand by his own hand, and we've replaced them tenfold since! _Vejiita ran fingers through his hair, reaching down to stroke his goatee, contemplating how they could prepare for this visit. _All the warning the bastard gave was a week. We have a __**week **__to prepare for Frieza and Vegeta's gone again!_

In truth, the king didn't know exactly _where_ his son was. He had connected to the prince's scouter frequency, but found it unresponsive. Angrily, he had ordered a few of his guards to alert his son at his chambers, only to discover that they too were empty when the men arrived back about half an hour later. _Damn, I should have had them check his sparring rooms. I've heard he's been frequenting them more of late..._ The king considered. _Still, he should be making me a godsdamned heir. _He mentally snarled.

King Vejiita's angry thoughts were distracted by the woman rising from her seat, walking over to him with a timid, but purposeful stride. She was not one he had often. Vejiita had his favorites, and this young woman, Lentil, was not typically among them. The king chose many to accompany him to his bed, she was no different. A release of stress, that was all she was to him; necessary to ease his daily strain, which had become all the more stressful of late with hs son's unexcused absences. It had been happening more and more often, and he couldn't stand for it any longer. Vegeta had been shirking his responsibility, and it had now caught up to them both. _I must speak with him._

Lentil stalked forward, long, loose, springy curls of brown hair falling about her shoulders. Delicately, she slipped behind him, small, soft hands placing themselves over his broad, muscled back. Her tail twined around his leg, an intimate gesture above her station.

"Come back to bed, my king. Worry does not suit you." She whispered breathlessly, kneading her small hands along his tense neck and shoulders. She pressed herself against him, skin-to-skin in an attempt to draw him back to the expansive bed.

Desire rushed down his spine, pooling in his lower abdomen at her sensual approach. The fur rippling against his muscled thigh made him want to pounce, take her, claim her. He was beginning another worthless heat cycle, mocking him in the fact that it would do no good. He could not produce any longer. That was what he needed Vegeta for. _No... _He could not be cooled; his fury was too great.

Vejiita narrowed his eyes at the seductress, growling. "Leave me, woman. I will be back for you when I so choose." He ordered, shrugging out of her embrace. The sting in his words put the woman back in her place, a haughty glare darkening his features while he observed her.

Lentil looked affronted, but managed to get her face into a more civil, subservient expression. "Yes, my king." She whispered, drawing back her tail so that is wrapped loosely around her own waist, almost becoming lost in the long, springy curls. "I shall wait for you."

"Good," Vejiita snarled, grabbing the pile of his clothing. He dressed quickly, still fuming, mentally shutting out the world but for all the things he wished to be done. With a final tug at his white glove, the king turned to leave the room, but was stopped by Lentil's questioning voice.

"When should I expect you back, sire?"

The royal looked over he shoulder, hand on the doorframe, ready to walk through. "I don't know, woman." He growled deeply, lip curled. "That would be up to my good-for-nothing son."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Once his lover was settled in, Vegeta walked into the outer room of the medical wing, leaving Raditz and Kakarrot in the small, private chamber. He gestured at a short doctor he recognized, remembering the small stature and aged eyes. This was the man that had both run Kakarrot's tank and completed the blood test that confirmed Raditz as the teenager's older brother. _I'm probably going to have to kill him one day, aren't I?_ The prince considered warily. _Maybe not. As long as he keeps quiet._

"Lantro," He called, addressing the man. Raditz had mentioned him by name before, saying that he often worked with the guards that were injured in their service to the palace and Vegetsei. _All the better, he would know about this sort of injury._ "I need to speak with you."

The medic nodded, immediately setting down whatever device he had previously been inspecting to strode over to where the royal stood. "Yes, sire?" He asked, bowing a little at the waist in a formal greeting.

Vegeta raised an eyebrow in acknowledgement. "You remember Kakarrot, yes?"

Lantro nodded. "I do, sire. It's hard to forget a case like that. He is much healthier now, I see."

"Indeed." The prince agreed. "I take it you also remember his... Problem... Then?"

The man made a sound of understanding. "His fear of needles, sire."

Vegeta nodded curtly. "Have you been informed as to what his injury is?"

Lantro grimaced. "A broken knee. The only way to have a complete recovery from something like that would be..."

"I know."

"If you don't mind me asking... How do you suggest to approach the situation with your servant, sire?"

Vegeta concocted a fake, indignant expression. "That is for me to worry about." He reprimanded. The haughty display softened a little. "Still, if there is another way to heal the problem, I would choose it."

The man shook his head sadly. "I know of none that will heal fully..." Lantro sighed. "I understand that the young man also serves as a sparring partner." He gestured in the direction of Kakarrot's medical room. "Anything short of an injection would render the fractured knee less reactive. It could destroy his fighting ability."

The prince growled a little to himself. "I was afraid of that. Any other ways we could try?"

Lantro looked worried. "We could always put him under..."

"Knock him out?"

"Yes. He would be less likely to struggle that way. In fact, he wouldn't struggle at all."

_Not a bad idea..._ Vegeta considered. _But..._ He remembered the younger man's wish to remain conscious. Kakarrot was amazingly self-aware, and may recognize the feel of a needle even while knocked out. That could lead to another ki spike.

"No, that won't work." He replied distantly. "Still, I don't know if giving him an injection will help much, anyway. Quite frankly, anyone approaching Kakarrot with a needle will frighten him beyond belief. They may not be able to get close enough to him to do anything at all."

Lantro remained silent for a few seconds before finally timidly speaking. "What... What would you suggest then, sire?"

Vegeta recrossed his arms, staring off to the closed door, on the other side of which his lover and friend waited. He took a deep breath. "Show me how to give the injection."

"Y-you, sire...?"

The prince glared at him. "Are you suggesting that I do not have control over my own personal servant? Kakarrot will do anything I so order him to. If one of you gives the injection, he will struggle. Not with me." He snarled. "Unless you'd like to try it. I warn you, the boy has an incredible kick."

Lantro swallowed. "Of-of course not, sire. Allow me to show you..."

~•~ Time Lapse ~•~

"P-please, Master, I don't want a shot!" Kakarrot shook, sitting atop a cool, metal examination table, his right pant leg drawn up to his thigh. Lantro stood in the doorway, a leather bag of medical equipment in one hand. He set it in the room, backing away from what he was likely expecting to be an explosion. For good measure, Vegeta obliged him.

"You will do as I expect of you, Kakarrot!" He growled demandingly, aura snapping suggestively around him.

The teenager recoiled in mock-castigation, understanding that the tongue-lashing was merely for show. Raditz, however, was not so understanding.

"Sire!" He interjected. "He's j-" Suddenly, he saw Kakarrot's wide eyes, stopping mid-sentence. "Ah..." He whispered, finally catching on.

"Raditz!" Vegeta barked. "You will guard _outside_. Anyone is only to come in over your dead body, understood?" He growled furiously, clenching his fists at his sides like a royal tantrum.

The long-haired man nodded sheepishly for Lantro's benefit. "Of course, sire." He left the room, swinging and locking the door behind himself to leave both lovers alone.

The chamber was designed for total privacy, a room typically used to perform surgeries and such, soundproofed, and windowless. _Perfect_. He had a plan, but it would take some convincing to make Kakarrot comply. No matter how he had made it sound to the medic, Vegeta would never force the younger man to take the shot. No, he would need to persuade him.

"Vegeta..." Kakarrot whispered in a low voice. "Please? You know I hate needles."

Sighing deeply, the prince stepped forward, enveloping the teenager in a warm embrace, laying the shaggy head of black hair on his shoulder. "I know, Kakarrot, I know."

"Can't... Can't we use a tank?" He asked hopefully, burying his face more deeply into the older man's neck.

The prince shook his head warily. "That would draw too much attention, you know that. The only other ways to heal the fracture are either reconstructive surgery, or removing the shattered bone entirely; both of which will devastate your ability to fight, and in your right leg no less." He stroked the young man's tail familiarly, letting his own appendage caress the side of Kakarrot's face. "The safest way to a full recovery would be to inject the healing fluid directly into the fracture. That can only be done with a needle, and maybe three days of bed rest according to the medics. The surgeries would take weeks, of not months to heal, and even then your maneuverability would never be the same again. It's our best option."

The teenager tightened his hold around Vegeta's sleek waist. He felt Kakarrot's brow crinkle as he thought this over, exhaling deeply. "I know you're right, Vegeta... But, I'm scared." He whispered, so softly the older man almost couldn't hear it. "I don't like needles..."

"Would you prefer to lose mobility? Your fluidity and power with which you fight?" He asked pointedly, attempting not to sound too harsh with the younger man. He softened the rough reply with a long stroke down his tail, hoping it would count as an apology.

"N-no..." He breathed, wrapping a coil of his furry length around Vegeta's wrist to show he understood the gesture.

"Kakarrot," The prince whispered, stepping back to hold the collared Saiyan at arms' length. Lovingly, he stroked the back of his left hand against his lover's young, soft cheek. "it's just one, tiny shot. Once we're done, we'll go take a long, hot bath and sleep it off." He leaned forward, bringing his lips right next to Kakarrot's ear. "All night; I'll hold you, comfort you, be your protector. Three full days, all about _you_." He murmured huskily.

"But... You have duties to attend to-"

"They can _wait_." Vegeta breathed. "You cannot. I _love _you. My duty is to _you_, Kakarrot. No one else." He stroked the long tail again. "After you're healed, we can take a long walk around the grounds. I know of some places where the trees cover _just enough_. We could exercise, race, spar," Vegeta inhaled deeply the scent of his lover's thick, black hair, nipping lightly against his ear. "make wild, passionate love."

The teenager shivered, pressing familiarly into the caress against his cheek, coloring with an attractive, pink blush. "_Mnnnn_, gods, Vegeta." He breathed shudderingly. "Still, I can't help being frightened."

"Kakarrot," Vegeta whispered, gently clasping both sides of his face. "would I _ever_ hurt you?"

Deep, endless, brown eyes stared at him for what seemed like an eternity. "Of course not, Vegeta." He breathed, brow knitting.

Carefully reaching behind himself, the older man grasped a needle filled with a thickish, translucent blue liquid. He brought it between them both, heart breaking when he saw his lover recoil in terror, trembling.

"_Shhhh..._" He whispered, coiling his tail around Kakarrot's slightly darker one. "_Please, trust me..._"

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The soft sensation of fur on fur ran a convulsive shiver down his spine, though the fearful shaking remained. Vegeta was trying to distract him, take his mind away from the thing grasped in his prince's poised hand. _This is Vegeta. The man you love. The man who loves you. It's to heal you... _The tail around his coiled, expertly moving against him in such a way that it made his mind go blank. Vegeta was an expert at teasing him.

"_Shhhh_..." His prince repeated, letting the fingers of his right hand brush down the younger man's powerfully honed muscle. "It's alright, love."

Kakarrot bit his lower lip, breath from his nose coming in ragged, sharp pants. "V-_Vegeta_..."

Fingers carefully skimmed down his chest, catching on a sensitive nipple. His breathing hitched when he felt Vegeta grasp it, rolling the tiny pebble of flesh between forefinger and thumb. The sensation made him gasp. _Vegeta.._. Kakarrot thought silently, basking in the light, soft, sensory foreplay. He opened his eyes -unsure of when he had closed them- to see a hopeful smile gripping the older man's handsome features. Vegeta stepped closer to the medical table, one-handedly fondling and teasing the teenager's prone body. Nails skimmed down his washboard abs, their careful, trailing sensation accompanied pleasantly by the feeling of lips and teeth nipping at his earlobe. It was incredible how his prince could lavish such attention to his most sensitive coves with only one hand, as his left was still preoccupied with holding the object of Kakarrot's fear.

The free hand skimmed ever lower, finally arriving at his loose-fitting pants. He brushed the upper edge where it swung low on his hips, just enough so it could show the top of the V of muscle that lead to his rising erection. With a solid tug, his red sash was discarded, falling to the floor in a crimson puddle. _Gods... _Kakarrot mentally groaned, all thought suddenly leaving him when Vegeta carefully reached into his now open waistline, smirking more confidently at the semi-hard member he discovered there. He ran a single digit along the underside, teasing so softly is could have been his imagination. Either way, blood rushed downward, making him feel suddenly lightheaded, but in that perfect, sexual, erotic way.

Lips carefully trailed up his jaw, leaving sweet, humid breath to ghost across his tingling skin. "Feel good, my love?" He whispered, enveloping Kakarrot's member in a warm hand; the other, with the needle, rested lightly against his right thigh, announcing its cool presence.

His only reply was to groan, conflicted by fear and arousal both. Vegeta stroked deliberately, smiling warmly at the whimpered replies, or lack thereof. "_Vegeta_..." He muttered, leaning back on his hands. Automatically, Kakarrot widened his legs, allowing his prince more room to work. He was still scared, terrified really, but the older man's expert touch setting his nerves ablaze made it so easy to forget.

He warily watched the progress of the needle through half-lidded eyes, moaning again when he felt the prince's nails skim across the underside of his erection. The older man continued to show the syringe's presence, rolling it along his hot thigh. Kakarrot tried to ignore it, to accept it, but it was a conflicting sensation. Still, his prince was doing excellently in his teasing so far... He didn't want it to stop.

Vegeta fell gracefully to his knees, pulling the front of Kakarrot's white pants down enough so that his aroused state was obvious to the entire, empty, secured room. It worried him all the same. No matter how "safe" this room supposedly was, it wasn't Vegeta's chambers... It wasn't the shower, or the bath. It was a sterile, cool, medical room. Some of his arousal left at that thought, fear of being discovered overpowering whatever his prince had been doing to him, no matter how good it felt.

"V-Vegeta!" He stage-whispered, attempting to close his legs. "We could get caught!"

His lover raised an eyebrow at him, ghosting humid breath across his stiffened flesh. "And?" He growled huskily, kissing hot, pink lips against the head of his member.

"It-it's too dangerou-_ahn_." His reply was interrupted by a short, quipped, breathy cry as Vegeta licked a long, wet line across the underside of his erection.

The sight was just as erotic as the sensation, making him bite his lower lip while he attempted to control his trembling. Onyx eyes locked with his deep brown ones, Vegeta's perfect, flushed, handsome face descending to repeat that deliberate lick. He did so again, swelling him further, wetting him with a mixture of saliva and his own precum. Lips closed delicately around the head, tongue lapping over the leaking slit at the tip, driving the younger man _mad_.

A tail wrapped around his wrist, tugging a hand over. He let it be lead wherever Vegeta wished, surprised to see his left hand atop the dark-brown peak of hair. Moaning again, he took the hint, threading his fingers through the long, silky strands. Kakarrot applied gentle pressure, urging his prince to take more of his throbbing length. Vegeta complied easily, capturing more of the younger man's aching arousal, bathing it in attention from lips and tongue alike.

Kakarrot leaned back on his other hand, gasping shallowly, mind reeling from the onslaught. The soft, slick, warm feeling of Vegeta's mouth consumed him. He pressed again on his lover's bobbing head, being rewarded by yet more of his length disappearing in that perfect, wet cavern. "_Guh-gods, Vegeta_!"

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Dangerous or not, it was working. Rapturously, the prince feathered his eyes closed, eyelashes brushing lightly against the top of his cheeks. He purred heavily, sliding his mouth back and forth over the teenager's straining length. The whimpered cries of pleasure drove him onward, savoring whatever comfort he could give the young man before he would need to break the spell of his enjoyment.

Vegeta's head drew back, getting a solid lungful of air before diving back at the task, carefully guided by the pressure of Kakarrot's hand. His free hand rested on the uninjured leg, squeezing it in what he hoped could be construed as warning. Opening his eyes a hair's length, the prince peered over to where his left hand was poised and ready, checking the proper angle of insertion. Precum coated the inside of his mouth, telling him how close Kakarrot was to the edge. Sealing his lips around his lover's throbbing shaft, Vegeta sucked _hard_, cheeks hollowing with the force of his suction. _I'm sorry, my love... _At the edge of climax, a hair from release, with wild abandon, Vegeta pushed the needle through the skin.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot jerked violently, eyes flying open at the blinding agony racing through his right leg. His breath hitched, conflicted by the spasms of pain and ecstasy assaulting his over sensitized nerves. Vegeta sucked hard, pulling from him a harsh, loud whimper. Breathing halted, time stilled, and then the tidal wave of release slammed into him like a clap of the gods' own thunder.

"_**Vegeta**_!" He screamed, back bowing as his hips arched automatically forward into that torturous mouth. His hand instinctively grabbed a fistful of hair, holding Vegeta's mouth in place while he emptied himself down his lover's hot throat.

He watched Vegeta swallow, eyes glazed as the blinding pain returned, this time from his lover retrieving the now empty needle. He hadn't even been aware of it injecting anything, but it was now filled only with air as it was slowly pulled away. The prince released his now flaccid member, looking up to his flushed face with worried eyes. He said nothing for a long time, still dazed by the conflicting aftershock of terror, discomfort, and orgasm. Finally, he spoke.

"Vegeta..."

"I should have given better warning..." His prince muttered, cheeks still red. "It hurt you."

Gulping, Kakarrot reached down, grasping his love's chin in one hand. He used it to pull Vegeta into an upright, kneeling position, where their faces could be on par. He stared lovingly into glorious onyx for hat felt like an eternity before capturing the older man's royal lips. He pushed in his tongue, sending not a message of dominance or anger, but understanding and thanks. He twined it with his prince's pushing and pulling, expressing without words. Finally, each man pulled back.

The teenager smiled warmly, cupping his lover's cheek in the same, mirrored way Vegeta would hold his.

"You're not mad at me, then?" The older man asked, dropping the forgotten needle on the floor.

Kakarrot laughed, kissing the man again, but shorter this time. "Of course not, love." He grinned, running his fingers through long strands of brown hair again. "But next time, can we do it in your bed?"


	25. Chapter 25

Author's Notes:

I would like to sincerely apologize for this chapter being up a day late. It is inexcusable, and me not keeping my word to all you lovely readers and supporters cannot be taken lightly. I will do everything in my power to make certain this does not happen again. You are all wonderful, and I appreciate your consistent support of me, my story, and my writing more than I can express. Thank you for waiting the extra day.

Next chapter, Twenty-Six will be uploaded on time, Sunday the 18th of November. I will be out of town Thanksgiving weekend, so the Sunday 25th will not have a chapter. It will be uploaded the following Tuesday.

My sincere apologies and thanks.

- Shikatoki

**Chapter Twenty-Five:**

Kakarrot felt dead to the world, medication in his knee working its magic. It was powerful stuff, whatever they had given him. Vegeta said it was a lot like regeneration fluid, but stronger, and made for internal injuries. Whatever it was, he felt dazed. Still, with his prince's strong, secure, sleek arms enclosing his torso, it was difficult to complain.

They had been back in the prince's wing for over an hour, lying in comfortable silence. _Mmm, he's so warm._ Kakarrot thought absently, snuggling closer to his royal lover. The heat outside could never compare to the gentle, loving warmth that radiated straight from Prince Vegeta's skin. _Three days like this sounds amazing. _They still had yet to bathe, afraid to jar his just barely healing fracture. They would later, as they both needed it, but he was too tired just then to do anything more than enjoy the steady heartbeat beside his.

Cchini's dried blood remained on them, but Kakarrot and his prince had both carefully stripped before lying down, so as not to get it on their sheets.

Now that the whole ordeal was over, Kakarrot allowed his mind to wander, the fact that Cchini was dead finally seeming to catch up with him. He pondered that for a while, attempting to grasp what exact emotions that realization brought forth. How _did_ he feel about Cchini's death? The teenager had all but forgotten him in those glorious six months with his prince. The damage that man had caused in his life still lingered, and certainly always would.

He hated the damn bastard, all he had said, all he had caused. Cchini had stripped him of his innocence for monetary gain, demanded he serve or die, beat him, whipped him, crushed his spirit, and quite nearly killed him on more than one occasion.

He would never get over that terrifying sensation of being beaten senseless by someone exponentially stronger than him, get over how much it hurt to be called a whore, or to be used and discarded so carelessly as he always had been. He would never be able to regain the innocence of the years before he had been so forcefully thrust into service at The Carved Crown Inn. Shame and humiliation burned in the pit of his stomach, head spinning and joints throbbing from the mixture of both coupled with the nausea of medicine.

Closing his eyes, Kakarrot sidled deeper into his prince's embrace, fighting back the wave. He whimpered, attempting to get his bearings in the onslaught of bad memories, intensified in his weakened state. _Vegeta..._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Vegeta's eyes fluttered open, his light sleep breaking when he felt the inner turmoil lacing his lover's thoughts. Kakarrot was shaking, a small whimper building in the back of his throat and seemingly holding back tears. Flashes of fear and humiliation not his own assaulted the prince, a frighteningly disorienting experience. _Is this what he meant when he said he __**felt**__ me? My emotions like they were in him? _It could be. But all the same, Vegeta knew their source. He lifted a sleepy, warm hand, brushing it lovingly down the side of a young cheek as calmly as he could manage.

"What's bothering you, my love?" He whispered with concern, sighing into thick locks of disorderly black hair.

The teenager leaned into his embrace, ears shifting to tell the Vegeta he had frowned, though he couldn't see it. After a long pause, he whispered back just as softly, a slight tremble to his words. "Thinking... Thinking about Cchini."

Vegeta mentally groaned. How that man could rise up from the dead to snatch at his companion's thoughts... The old innkeeper had hardly been dead for five hours now, and by the prince's own hand. _This is my fault_. "I'm sorry..." He began, heart hammering in his chest. The foreign emotions were draining away, less powerful now that Kakarrot was more widely awake.

The mass of shaggy hair shifted, indicating that the teenager was shaking his head. "Don't be. He deserves to be dead." He whispered in a rough voice halfway between bitterness and upset. "You did the right thing in killing him."

Cchini had always been a hard subject for them to discuss. Though the innkeeper had never physically raped Kakarrot himself, he might as well have. He had been cruel to the point of it being sickening; unsympathetic, and greedy to the core. I made Vegeta's blood boil even now, while he still had the disgusting excuse of a man's dried blood across his knuckles. That anger, the wish to kill him again, to make it slower, longer, agonizing, terrifying... He sighed.

"I hadn't meant to." And that was true. He had gone for information, to free his lover, not to stir awake this upset, sadness, and fear. Vegeta felt responsible for the teenager's shaking, maybe not being the cause of it, but having reawakened the memory.

Kakarrot exhaled deeply. "I know, Vegeta. But I don't regret that you did. I had forgotten about him... Partially. I don't ever think I can forget him entirely." He shivered, making the prince instinctually tighten his protective embrace. "He didn't deserve life. Even if it was an accident, it's better that way."

"I lost myself, Kakarrot. Yes, he deserved to die, but it wasn't my place to kill him... After all, he's never harmed me. It was you he hurt." He whispered, heart aching. It had been a nagging worry in the back of his mind all day. It hadn't been his right to kill the old innkeeper. He could justify it all he liked, but the truth was the truth. It had been Kakarrot's _right_ to kill the man hat had cause him such pain. Yet, he had denied the teenager that privilege.

Carefully, Kakarrot rolled over to look the prince in the eye, gingerly shifting his healing leg. "Listen to me, Vegeta." He whispered, just a little sternly. "Stop feeling bad over it, and don't say you're not, because I can feel it."

Vegeta opened his mouth to interrupt, but was silenced by a warm finger over his lips.

His tone softened. "I am _honored_ that you would protect me so completely, even from the shadows of my past. Maybe... Maybe it was meant to be that way." He felt the other set of warm fingertips brush at the hair behind his ear, bodies edging up closer together, face-to-face. Deep brown irises studied him intently, wide, dilated pupils contracting slightly when a ray of sun from an overhead window shone across his glowing, honey-tanned skin. "I hate the horrors in my past. I hate Cchini, and I could never forgive what he put me through. But you... You _protected_ me. Back when you first found me... Just a few hours ago, too." His finger atop the prince's closed lips fell away. "You severed that link to my old life, making me free to be with you, to be yours, and yours alone." His brow crinkled. "I could never regret you saving me, either time. I have had the best time of my life with you, Vegeta. I... I belong with you. You are all I need, everything to me." His eyes became glossy, translucent tears of raw emotion spilling forth to wet the richly woven sheets upon which they both lay. "_Thank you._" He whispered sincerely. "_Thank you for ridding me of that._"

Vegeta's heart was in his throat. Yes, they could have blamed the emotion Kakarrot exhibited on the medications, but it would have been a lie. Kakarrot meant this with every ounce of his being, the prince could feel it. The truth thrummed in the undercurrent of those soft, heartfelt words. He felt helpless under their empathetic, understanding onslaught. Such a deep acknowledgement left him emotionally bare, soaking in the gentle flow of love and returning it in kind, the two partners to a whole, the connecting of a circuit.

"Thank you, my love..." He sighed, unsure what else to say.

By the beaming, tear stained grin that lit the larger man's face, he understood no more need be said. Vegeta let a small smile claim his own lips, replacing his arms around the younger man's waist to pull their bodies closer together. Kakarrot purred contentedly, returning the embrace in his turn, resting his head beneath the prince's chin. Despite, or perhaps due to the sudden upswing in emotion, he felt suddenly, uncharacteristically relaxed. Vegeta felt so drained all of a sudden, the warmth of his lover's strong body pressing to his was welcome, as opposed to oppressive like the heat outside. In little time, his purr joined beside Kakarrot's, dissolving them into a world of calm as sleep overtook them in the middle of the day.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

King Vejiita strode furiously into his royal office, landing on the plush chair behind his desk with a thud before the door had even finished swinging shut. The loud slam alerted any in the palace that he was not to be disturbed, as if the loud growl in his chest all the way there hadn't been enough. Vejiita's bearded face was enveloped in a large palm, propping his head up so as not to let it fall on the desktop. He was livid, gritting his teeth from annoyance and every imaginable sort of fury. There had been no sign of his son anywhere, having _personally _checked all the places the prince frequented. The King Vejiita had alerted the guards, about to call for a search to find his missing son. _If he's left the palace again..._ He had thought angrily, not forgetting the previous time. Finally, after over an hour of furious pacing, he had been informed that Prince Vegeta had retired back to his rooms for the day, with no word of his activities earlier on. Like it wasn't enough that his son would shirk his responsibilities in the evenings, now, suddenly, the prince wished to leave _midday_? Retire to his rooms like a child? Enough was enough.

The king reached up to the side of his face, angrily jabbing a sequence of buttons on the side of his red-shielded scouter. The line beeped annoyingly for a span of several seconds while he waited for the signal to connect. Eventually, his commanding guard answered, his deep tone of voice loud in Vejiita's ear. "Yes, my king?"

"Endive," He greeted coolly, finally having gotten his angered breathing under control. "Send a squad of my guards to Prince Vegeta's quarters. They are to escort him back to my office immediately."

"Y-yes, sire, of course." The captain replied, sounding more than a little confused. "Anything else, your Majesty?"

"Yes." He growled deeply, putting emphasis on each word. "Make. It. _Fast_."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Vegeta was curled around Kakarrot in the expansive, royal bathing chamber. The larger man sat relaxedly between his legs, lazy purr causing ripples across the surface of the water. The warm, soap-clouded, liquid felt amazing, the uncomfortable sensation of dirty, dried blood soaking away in the large tub.

He idly ran his fingers through his lover's dark spikes, mussing them playfully before using his nails to delicately knead and scratch the scalp.

"Mmm, thank you, Vegeta." The teenager mumbled sleepily, head lolling back.

The prince smiled warmly, pulling Kakarrot's head to the side so that he could kiss the muscled neck, carefully avoiding the bronze collar. "No trouble." He replied, inhaling deeply the scent of his lover's wet hair. It was soapy, but the faintest hint of his natural, sexy, masculine musk lingered beneath the unnecessary, extra fragrances.

Kakarrot shuddered at the kiss, tail wrapping around the royal Saiyan's waist beneath the water. "How'm I gonna do your hair?" He slurred, words mashing horribly together just as they had been for the past ten minutes.

It was obvious that the medication was affecting his young lover's senses, making him weary and half-conscious, not sharply perceiving much of what was going on. His long, wet, brown tail coiled lovingly around the younger man's sculpted bicep, squeezing with sweet reassurance.

"You're not, Kakarrot. You're going to wait until I'm done cleaning the both of us, and then I'm going to hold you until you're all better."

"Tha's no' fair..." He mumbled almost unintelligibly, muscles slackening enough to make him sink another inch into the bath.

"Well, I'm your prince, you have to do what I say." Vegeta chided lightly, kissing the soft patch of sensitive skin behind his ear.

Kakarrot just barely managed to gather the strength to turn his neck, looking at his lover through half-lidded eyes. "Also no' fair..."

The prince chuckled, nipping playfully with his lips at the side of the teenager's exposed throat. "Who ever said I was fair?"

The younger man sighed deeply through his nose, ripples appearing on the water's surface. "I did. You lis'n t'me."

The slur was getting steadily worse, his lover's body-heat rising with every passing second of his slackening muscles. "It's time to go back to bed, love." He whispered kindly, unwrapping his tail from its previously coiled position over his lover's arm.

"M'kay..." He purred lightly, consciousness drifting.

The young features finally gave way, falling into a calm, sweet, achingly adorable expression. Were it not for his gigantic, muscled body, he could have looked like a child with that lazing, innocent face. He stroked it lovingly, carefully removing himself from behind the man to let the water out of the tub. Vegeta dried hastily, pulling on a pair of loose pants to cover himself before dashing into the bedchamber to throw a towel over the pillows.

There was no way he could single-handedly dry Kakarrot and then move him to bed. They could deal with being a little wet for a while until the warm sunlight saw fit to dry them.

The prince scooped his sleek, bare arms beneath the teenager's back, lifting the larger, sopping wet body from the empty tub. With care, he walked back to the bed, smiling when a cheek pressed against his neck, beads of water from the shaggy mass of black hair soaking his shoulder again. He laid the unconscious Kakarrot down, throwing the sheets over him. They became translucent in places where water seeped through them, but Vegeta paid it no mind.

He made to crawl in beside his lover when rapping sounded from the anteroom door. _What the hell?_ He thought, head flying up and ears at attention._ I expressly told Raditz and Chiva not to bother us._ He thought angrily, grabbing his scouter from the bedside table to rush out and answer the insistent knock. He closed the bedchamber door behind himself, lest any unwelcome eyes find the collared 'servant' sharing the Saiyan Prince's bed.

"Sire," A deep voice called from the outer wing. "I must speak with you."

Vegeta grabbed the handle with annoyance, his haughtiest glare surfacing as he cracked the enormous, silent door. "What the hell do you want?" He growled furiously, a few strands of his wet hair falling into his face.

Chiva and Raditz were standing with sour looks on their faces, glaring at the back of the man standing before Prince Vegeta's door. They were obviously regretting the power of his rank, sending apologetic glances at what they could see of the prince's furious expression through the barely-opened door.

His father's commanding officer, Endive, stood proudly in his outer wing, authority drawn around him like a shroud. The man didn't even flinch at his harsh tone, arms crossed over his expansive, armored chest. "Sire, the king demands your presence."

"Tell him I'm busy." He ordered flippantly, making to close the door.

Endive grabbed the knob, holding the door in place. "I'm sorry, sire. The king demands your presence _immediately_."

"Too bad, he'll have to wait."

The man sighed. "Prince Vegeta, this is not open for discussion. I have seven guards here to escort you to his Majesty's office, whether you be willing or not. I'd prefer you come quietly."

"You make it sound as if you plan to arrest me." Vegeta said incredulously.

"Not at all, my prince. Merely to take you to the king's office."

Vegeta weighed his options. Refusing would more than likely invite them to barge in, taking him by force. He was many times stronger than the Commander, but knew such a fight would have been foolish at best. Yes, he could easily have killed him, as well as the seven guards he had brought along, but that wouldn't keep them away forever. Besides that, his father would be even more furious with him. Still, if he did as ordered and went quietly, he would be unable to stay with Kakarrot. Vegeta wasn't one to break his word, and leaving his lover in this confused and weakened state was a hard decision to make. Finally, he conceded.

"I'm half naked, Commander. At least allow me to be decent when I meet with my father."

The man grunted. "Fine, but a guard has to be in with you."

The prince glowered at him. "Why?"

"No offense, my prince, but you have escaped before." Endive nodded lightly, as if commending his escape attempt of six months previous. "It is my life on the line if you are not before the king soon. I don't take such a task lightly."

Vegeta snarled at the man, gritting his teeth. "Fine." His gaze shifted to another face down the hall. "Raditz," He gestured, opening the door to admit him. "follow me."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The long-haired bodyguard followed Vegeta into the chamber, leaving his mate to occupy Endive for the time being. The Commander was infuriatingly big-headed at times, and downright power-drunk at others. He sent a silent, wordless, mental caress to Chiva as he strode in the doorway, wishing her luck. The prince began talking as soon as the door was shut, gesturing him to walk to the bedchamber and then straight to a large dresser.

"Kakarrot's medicines have finally kicked in. He's dazed and pretty out-of-it." He grabbed a spandex shirt from a drawer, pulling it over his still damp skin. "I planned to stay with him, but now that this has come up, it's no longer an option." He said sadly.

Vegeta gestured that Raditz turn around, giving him privacy enough to change into his spandex pants. The prince spoke to his back. "I will need you or another guard -preferably Chiva or Elry- to stay with him, keeping watch on him at all times."

Raditz swallowed, suddenly afraid for his younger brother's well-being. "Is he in a dangerous state-"

Vegeta cut him short, staying the older man's worry. "No, no, he's fine. It just may be that he wakes and is confused. I don't want him walking on the injured leg, and if I'm not here when he comes-to, he will no doubt go looking for me."

Both men turned when they heard the sound of shifting fabric. Kakarrot rustled on the bed, heavy breathing turning into a deep, purring snore. Vegeta sighed with relief, quieting his voice a little when he continued speaking with the older man.

"I need someone we trust to be taking care of him. The gods only know how long my father will need to speak with me for."

"So, we're making sure he's comfortable while you're gone, that's it?"

The prince nodded. "I will be back as soon as it is possible. If he wakes while I am gone, be sure to tell him that."

The long-haired brother made a sound of understanding. "Will do, Vegeta." He stated, clapping the younger man on his now armored shoulder. "We'd better get back out there. I'll let Chiva know and then get Elry here as soon as Commander Asshole and he troops leave."

Vegeta chuckled lightly at that. "Good." He agreed, hand making a shooing motion towards the door. "I'll be out in just a second."

Raditz understood, turning to walk from the bedchamber. From the corner of his eyes, the guard caught the blurred image of the prince turning back to the large, canopied bed, kneeling beside it. Vegeta's soft, gravelly whisper could just barely be heard above the voices outside, but Raditz tuned it out. Such a message was for Kakarrot's ears, and Kakarrot's alone.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

King Vejiita sat behind his desk, hammering his gloved fingers on the polished top. He had already received the report via Commander Endive's scouter, waiting for his son to stride into the Royal Office and launch into a tirade.

There was much he needed to discuss with his son, and now was not the time to allow the prince to get cocky. There were serious matters, things looming in the near future for Vegetasei that Vegeta could not shirk out on. Such discussion had their whole world at stake.

After a short while, the Commander stepped in, bowing at the waist. "Your son, my king." He announced stepping calmly aside to allow the irascible prince admittance.

Vegeta strode forward, glowering a frown worthy of his father's. "You wished to speak with me, father?" He growled, gritting his teeth.

Vejiita nodded coolly, fury mounting now the object of his anger was within grasp. "Yes, indeed." He stated, turning his attention from the younger man to address his Commander. "Endive, leave us."

The man bowed lowly again, retreating out of the plush office, leaving both seething royals to glare daggers at each other from across the room. The tension was so thick it could have been cut with a knife, filling the entire space like a thousand, brittle strands of silent hatred. One might have thought hatred to be a strong word, but it was in the forefront of each man's mind while they stared each other down. Finally, the king had had enough, breaking the silence like a gunshot.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Vegeta?" The older man growled. "Leaving all your responsibilities and duties at the door while you go off to sulk in you chambers!" He stood, leaving the chair in favor of glowering _down_ upon the young man, as opposed to up.

The prince made a move to interrupt, but the king stopped him.

"Where even _were_ you today?" He demanded, beginning to pace, hands clasped behind his back to keep himself from hitting something. "You have been _gone_ since six this morning until now, hardly two in the afternoon. Eight hours, Vegeta!"

His son's face suddenly paled, but quickly regained it's angry, reddish tinge. "What I do in my own time is none of your business, father." He snarled lowly, arms crossed in their customary, defensive stance.

"It is not your own time when you are dodging your responsibilities!" Vejiita shouted.

"They are not _my _responsibilities! They are the ridiculous rules and restrictions you force upon your _adult_ son!" The prince bellowed back. "It is not unreasonable of me to wish a short time of peace!"

Energy crackled around him like lightening, a veiled threat. Vejiita discounted such a display, laying every ounce of contempt he could into his reply.

"_**Peace**_?" The king scoffed, stopping before the desk. He pressed the flats of his palms to the polished surface, leaning his weight on his arms until his and his son's faces were a scant inch from each other. He kept his teeth clenched as he spoke, hot angry breath clouding the young royal's scouter. "We are _warriors_, Vegeta; there is no place for peace in these times."

Sinking back into his seat, Vegeta threw his hands exasperatedly into the air, looking at him with furious incredulity. "What do you plan to do, _start a war_?"

The king leaned back a small ways, sitting upon the cushioned armchair behind his desk. He stared the young royal dead in the eye, a satisfied smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "That is _exactly_ what I plan to do."


	26. Chapter 26

Author's Notes:

Attention! There will not be a chapter next Sunday due to the holiday. Chapter Twenty-Seven will be uploaded the following Tuesday instead.

Shout-out for Noipale for being awesome on Tumblr and a lovely person to chat with. ;)

To all my American readers, Happy Thanksgiving. To all my non-American readers, have a nice Thursday regardless. Why? Because you're all awesome.

Thank you for your continued support.

**Chapter Twenty-Six:**

Kakarrot awoke with a start, cold sweat drenched all over his naked body. He sat up, confused and a little frightened not to find his prince curled beside him. The portion of sheet previously obscuring his muscled chest fell to puddle in his lap, the white silk now dried completely from his nap in the sun,

He peered towards the door, but saw no movement, heart sinking. "Vegeta?" He asked the chamber at large, hoping to find the older man just the next room away.

"He's not here, Kakarrot."

He twisted his upper body, following the feminine voice. "Sister?"

Chiva stepped forward from the windowsill, extending her arms before herself in a gesture to suggest he keep calm. "It's okay, don't worry."

"What time is it?" He asked in confusion, reaching up to press the heel of a hand to his forehead.

His head throbbed dully, heart hammering as, once again, he was being assaulted with foreign emotions. This was the second time today such a thing happened, the teenager awaking to find his lover gone and his mate-sister catching him up on details.

The last thing he remembered was falling asleep in the bath, and quite expected to wake there. But, here he was, warm and dry beneath the silken sheets. Vegeta, however, was nowhere to be found.

His mate-sister stepped forward to the edge of the bed, her calm, comforting presence helping to stay his worry. "Half-past four in the evening." She answered, sinking beside him onto the mattress.

It creaked a little under her slight weight, but not much. Chiva, for all intents and purposes, was downright tiny. She readjusted her armor, leaning back against the headboard beside the young man.

He groaned lowly, stomach still roiling a little at the unfamiliar effects of medication. "Wh-where's Vegeta?"

The older woman looked at his worried, pained face with concern, edging closer on the bed. She pulled his head agains her side, softly petting his dark hair with gentle fingers. "The king demanded an audience with him. He didn't want to leave, little brother, but he had to."

Kakarrot nodded against the side of her breast, snuggling deeper into her familiar, calming touch. Deft fingers wove through his spikes, relaxing and innocent in the evening sunlight. A tiny, hesitant purr began to rumble from his chest, savoring the sweet comfort counteracting the distressing moods assaulting his foggy mind.

Though he and Raditz typically heckled with each other- light teasing and brotherly love, his and Chiva's interaction was different. While she had the capability to be just as sarcastic and rough as his brother, she also had a tendency to be not only sisterly, but motherly. Or, what he imagined being motherly was like.

Her choppy locks of deep red stuck out at odd angles, long and wild, but shorter than Raditz' heavy mane. Bangs hung in front of her eyes, which crinkled lightly at the corners as she smiled warmly at him, tucked beneath her arm. There were things he and Chiva could discuss that he never dreamed of telling Raditz. Not because he didn't love or trust his brother, but because he was too embarrassed to voice them. His mate-sister drew around him a field of calm, a gentle, unobtrusive energy that made him feel safe, giving him the freedom to ask and answer in complete confidence.

While he loved the muscled ridges and sharp coves and hollows on his prince's masculine form, there was something comforting about Chiva's feminine curves. Not in a sexual sense, no, not at all; merely in an aura of family, a soft, tranquil space in which to be loved.

"He feels worried, and very upset. He was angry too, just a little while ago. It's almost like a replay of this morning." He whispered sadly. "Whatever the king is telling him, it's not good."

Chiva looked down at him, an expression bordering between curiosity and surprise coloring her features. She shook her choppy locks over one shoulder, opening her mouth to speak. "You... You can already read him?"

Kakarrot's brow knit together, chin tilting upwards enough to see more of his mate-sister's face. "Um, Chiva... I can't read."

The woman sighed. "No, Kakarrot. Read his emotions, his feelings."

Comprehension dawned in his still lightly throbbing head. "Oh, well, yeah."

Chiva let out a slightly exasperated breath. "Gods," She whispered, continuing the gentle stroking across his hair. "for how long?"

The teenager considered. "Well, I noticed mostly today... But it's been going on for a few weeks. This morning was really stressful, so I felt it a lot more, you know?" Taking in the sight of her wide eyes, Kakarrot grew suspicious. "...Why?"

She paused, thinking over what he'd said. "Well, it's rare. Not many Saiyans have a bond strong enough to forge a mental link of that magnitude. I take it that's how you knew where he was and ran after him this morning?"

Kakarrot nodded enough to convey a yes, but not interrupt her fingers' progress through his hair.

"I see..." She muttered. "I'm glad. It can be comforting sometimes, especially when they're far away."

"You have one with Raditz, then?" He guessed.

She nodded, smiling to herself. "Yes. I love our link. I've heard stories of mates that have managed to learn to speak though it, purposefully, and purely by mental will. It takes years to learn. Your brother and I have tried, but it will take a long time before we've mastered the art. Sometimes we can feel or even hear each other's thoughts, but it is accidental and sporadic."

"I..." He breathed. "I think Vegeta and I have done that too."

"I wouldn't be surprised." She said softly, tightening her hold around his side in an understanding hug. Her expression grew thoughtful. "I've never heard of an unmated pair that could read each other's emotions at all, let alone that strongly, Kakarrot. Makes your situation all the stranger..."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The silence stretched comfortably between them, her young mate-brother weaving in and out between sleep and small spasms of Vegeta's emotions. After a long while, Kakarrot spoke up, turning his head where his cheek was pressed to the side of her breast again.

"Sister..." He paused. "What does it feel like to have a mate?"

The question, spoken so softly, innocently, made her heart ache. Sometimes she forgot how _young_ Kakarrot was. His ability to handle situations high above his years made her question sometimes, but then he'd light up with that sweet, childlike glee and remind her. Big, brown eyes gazed into her soul, seeking the answer she fought to put words to. _Where do I begin?_

"Well... It's hard to explain, little brother."

"Will you try?" He begged with pleading eyes.

Heart aching, Chiva exhaled deeply, using it to gather more time. "Well... Mates are rare, Kakarrot. Other than your brother and myself, I have never met another set, though, Raditz has. Do you know who they were?"

The teenager nodded. "My mother and father."

She smiled sadly, continuing to stroke his hair. "Yes, I wish I could have had the honor of meeting them." She sighed. "It's incredible, such a deep, personal connection. Though, having a mate is not the same as being in love. It is possible to be in love without being mated, though not to be mated without being in love. You understand?"

He hummed his comprehension. "I know. I love Raditz, and I love you. But that is a family bond." Kakarrot let a small, subdued grin claim his lips, a pinkish blush appearing across the tops of his cheeks. "I love Vegeta too. That's a different kind of love."

Chiva chuckled lightly, squeezing his side with a reassuring arm. "I know, little one."

"So..." Back on track, the teenager began with his questions again. "How different is the mating bond from another kind?"

"The bond one has with family, such as what I and your brother have with you, has no physical representation. It is a purely mental bridge, as well as one by kin between you and Raditz." She let this sink in before continuing. "The bonding between mates is one of the soul, mind, life, and flesh." She carefully peeled back the materiel covering her shoulder to expose a scar, obviously once a vivid bite mark. "I used to have my own soul, as did Raditz. When we became mates, that was... Rearranged. Our life forces are one, our soul, our blood, our ki, everything. The blood in his veins- half runs in mine, and mine half of his. I think that is why our family bond is so strong, little bother. Because we are mates, I am truly your sister, by blood, though not by birth. You understand?"

She waited for his confirming nod of assent. "Raditz isn't just _part _of me, not even just half, he is _all_ of me." She sighed wistfully, eyes un-focusing as her gaze drifted up to the canopy.

"Without him, I would be nothing. At least, that's how it feels. Had we never become mates, I would be no less alive. But now that we are... I can't imagine life without him. The strength of this bond is so powerful that if he died, not only would I wish no longer to be living without him... But I _couldn't._ If one of us dies, there is no way for the other to remain alive. Even if they could, it would be a horrifying, miserable existence."

She swallowed thickly. The pain of imagining life without her mate was so strong it almost made her weep. Not seeing him for a few _days_ hurt. She couldn't fathom never seeing him again at all. Well, until the afterlife, she supposed. Still, were she to die, they would only be apart but for a moment. The thought calmed her, allowing her muscles to unclench, and her hand begin again with its soft combing of her mate-brother's spikes.

"You love him a lot, sister. I can feel that." He snuggled deeper into her side, reaching a hand up to play with a stray lock of her dark red hair. "It's so powerful, what you both have. Thank you for explaining... It helps." Kakarrot paused noticeably. "D-"

He teetered on the edge of asking something, but seemed to stop himself before letting slip whatever was on his mind.

Chiva's motherly, disarming demeanor seemed to intensify, trying to coax words from the young man. "It's okay, Kakarrot. Whatever you say will never leave my lips."

He blushed a little, brow knitting as he looked up at her again. Wide, dilated pupils surrounded chocolate brown irises, worry of being rejected written all over his face. She had a feeling what the question might be, but Chiva wanted him to voice it. She didn't want to suggest anything herself if he had not thought of it, tainting his view. The question had to come from Kakarrot of his own mind and free will.

"Do... Do you think that Vegeta and I could be mates?" His blush intensified, heat rising and heart pounding noticeably in his fear.

Mentally, she smiled, suspicion confirmed.

"_Shhhhh..._" She calmed, hand in Kakarrot's hair sliding down the side of his face to cup his sharp chin. Carefully, she turned his head back to where it faced her, answering kindly. "Not, yet, little brother, but maybe. Love is an extraordinary thing. I... I don't think Saiyans are made in pre-set pairs, each with the task of finding the other half of themselves. Being mates is being together; it is a love so strong and complete that it is unbreakable. Maybe, one day, you and the prince could become mates to each other, young one. Only time can tell."

He nodded in the grip of her hand, emotion in his face expressing parts of his own feelings, and partially the prince's. He seemed to be fighting back tears, eyes glossier than usual. Whether they be sorrowful or born of joy she did not know, and suspected neither did he. "Thank you, sister." He whispered, brown boring into her ebony gaze. "It means a lot."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Vegeta's mind was reeling, heart hammering in his chest at the implications of what the king had told him. At first, the prince had been certain the man was raving, a power hungry, bloodthirsty lunatic. Maybe he was. _Starting a godsdamned war of all things!_ He had been more angered by the audacity of the move than anything else... Until his father had announced with whom he wished to start it...

~•~ Flashback ~•~

Sinking back into his seat, Vegeta threw his hands exasperatedly into the air, looking at him with furious incredulity. "What do you plan to do, _start a war_?"

The king leaned back a small ways, sitting upon the cushioned armchair behind his desk. He stared the young royal dead in the eye, a satisfied smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "That is _exactly_ what I plan to do."

A full thirty heartbeats announced the silence while Vegeta attempted to wrap his head around his father's statement. Finally, Vegeta had had enough. "You cannot be serious!" He roared, standing from the chair before his father's pristine, polished desk.

"Oh, but I am, Vegeta." He replied, ring of facial hair shifting with his confident, casual smirk. "I refuse any longer to bow before Icejins. Frieza's reign is over, mine begins."

The prince shook his head disbelievingly. "Not even you could be this foolish, father." He snarled, gaining a slight satisfaction when the annoying smirk melted from the older man's bearded face.

"It is not, foolish, Vegeta. It is war." He growled lowly. "Something you would not know about."

The prince's eyes narrowed, lip curling. "Excuse me for choosing not to lead my people into needless battles. We are Saiyans, father. We wish to fight, not to needlessly die for an unworthy goal. I wish to be free of that bastard Icejin as much as you, but this is not the way to do it!"

"Enough," The king barked. "this is in the best interest of Vegetasei."

"**No**," The young prince slammed his fist onto the desktop. "**it is a power game you can't win**!"

The king stood from his seat, glowering furiously at his son. "This is not your choice to make, Vegeta! You are not king, not yet. You will _never_ be king as long as you refuse to continue our bloodline." He said the last part like a challenge. "Had you a son, had you a _child_ to carry our blood, it would be a different story."

~•~ End Flashback ~•~

The king had made himself painfully clear. Either Vegeta had an heir, or they would go to war. They would all die for his refusal to give in, to sleep with one woman for one night. His stomach roiled. Before he'd met Kakarrot, he would have agreed without thought. Not because he wanted to, but he would sacrifice himself if it would mean less pain for his people. Now, though, he had his lover to think about.

Kakarrot, with a broken knee, awaiting his return to hold him for three days as he had promised. The teenager, brought up as a slave, and forced into prostitution at a sickeningly young age. The love of his life, whom he would have to betray to save his people.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The sight that greeted him when Raditz pushed the door wide was heartbreakingly adorable. Chiva's back was slumped against the headboard, face falling forward so that her long, choppy locks of hair hung all around her dozing, angelic face. She was so close to the edge of the mattress that one leg was off the bed entirely, dangling lazily as she dreamed.

Similarly, Kakarrot was purring, face pressed to the side of his mate-sister's chest-plate. One of the woman's arms was over his shoulders, fingers spread enough to indicate shat she had been stroking his hair until they had fallen asleep. His brother's arms were splayed, one behind the small of Chiva's back, the other laying across the tops of her thighs. The innocent, trusting, sweet atmosphere made his heart swell, letting an uncharacteristically soft expression fall over his features.

Since his mate had been asleep, she likely had not heard Vegeta communicating that he was almost back. It had been just about time for his watch anyway, but now he was charged with clearing the room, allowing the prince and his brother their time together. Forcing his face into an expression of calm, as opposed to the ridiculous, almost dopey look it had been wearing, Raditz stepped forward to rouse his mate.

He stepped around the bed, lowering to a crouch and placing a large hand to the side of Chiva's beautiful, sleep-slackened face. Her soft breathing against the side of his hand was warm and damp, picking up a little as the gentle heat of his palm brought her back from the world of rest.

"Mmm... Love?" She groaned, slowly raising one eyelid, the other following reluctantly in its wake.

Unable to resist, Raditz pressed his lips to her still warm ones in a chaste, gentle kiss. "That answer your question?"

She smiled knowingly at him. "I take it the prince wants his bed back?"

"Rather, he wants Kakarrot back." The long-haired man winked. "He'll be here in a few minutes. Do you honk we should wake him, or let Vegeta do that?"

"Too late." A groggy voice chuckled from Chiva's other side, a grin just barely distinguishable beneath the mop of rumpled blue-black hair.

"On both counts." Another voice called from the door. Startled, Raditz and his mate looked up to see Vegeta standing in the doorway, a arms crossed across his chest-plate.

Chiva sighed, petting her now widely awake mate-brother on the top of his head before extricating herself from his limp arms. "Well, looks like I'm getting in the way at this point." She smirked, coiling her tail around Raditz' forearm. "Let's eave them be, love."

Rolling his eyes as he passed Prince Vegeta in the doorway, the guard muttered. "That's what I was coming to get you for anyway." Before the door swung shut behind them.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot's tail swayed happily in the air behind him, head cocked adorably to the side as Vegeta approached. The silken sheet puddled at his waist just barely obscured his still naked body, the evening sunlight casting a heavenly orange glow on his honey-tanned skin. Vegeta's breath caught as he walked closer, stripping from his armor as he went, but leaving on the spandex covering.

No matter how desirable his lover looked at that moment, he needed to speak with him about serious matters. Vegeta needed to hold him, to help the teenager understand, or his heart would surely break.

The prince quite considered falling to his knees and begging the younger Saiyan's forgiveness. He had done nothing yet, but he still felt like he was betraying him, rending him apart inside. Finally, the royal man reached the bed, sinking onto the side so that he could stare out the window at the sunset while he tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

Before he could even attempt, though, Kakarrot spoke first. "I am _so sorry_, Vegeta."

The prince visibly started, swallowing hard as he turned his head to look his lover in the eye. "What for, Kakarrot?" He whispered, voice rough with emotion.

"It is wrong the king has forced you into such a corner. You don't deserve this, my love." A callused hand softly ran along one of his shoulders, warm and reassuring.

He watched deep, beautiful brown orbs intently, feeling his heart still for he briefest of seconds when his young lover's words finally sunk in. "Y-you already know?"

The teenager smiled sadly, shifting gingerly so that his back was leaning against the headboard. He applied light pressure to the prince's shoulder, suggesting he lay back. Vegeta did as silently asked, softly letting the back of his head rest upon his lover's fabric-covered crotch.

"Your thoughts and emotions are loud when you're upset." He whispered, running a finger along the prince's jaw. "I may not know what the king said, but I know hat it means."

Vegeta nodded, eyes glossy. "I'm so sorry," He whispered. "I love you so much, Kakarrot... I will do anything for you. If... If you wish me not-"

The teenager's gentle shake of the head cut him off. "My love, I could never ask you to choose between me and your people."

"But you _are_ one of my people."

Kakarrot nodded. "Yes, I am _one_. A war would cost many more than just one life. I don't want to feel that blood on my hands."

Vegeta growled softly, but it was drowned a little in his constricting throat. "The only one to blame for _any_ blood is my father, Kakarrot. If you wished me not to..." He paused, forcing the phrase from his lips. "Not to continue my line; any lives are by my father's order, not yours."

A slight, whining breath announced itself above him, making the prince set his gaze back to his lover's brown eyes. "It's rape." He whispered. "You don't want to... That makes it rape for you." The younger man's hand cupped his face, a tear falling down Kakarrot's faintly glowing cheek in the sunset light.

It wasn't a tear for himself, but for Vegeta. Kakarrot was upset, not because the prince would need to sleep with another to provide the king an heir, but because it would hurt Vegeta to do so. For all intents and purposes, since Vegeta was not truly willing... It was rape.

"You will be a celebrated king." The young Saiyan whispered, bowing his back to hover his shining eyes over Vegeta's. "You would do anything for your people." He choked, unable to speak anymore as a convulsive shudder of sadness rocked his frame. Another tear rolled down his cheek, being interrupted by Vegeta's thumb wiping it away.

Silent beads streamed from the older man's eyes, even as he tried to assure his lover not to cry. He sat up, stretching languidly around so that he could wrap his arms around Kakarrot's rocking body, sitting behind him- to be he protector. Emotions flowed from the teenager, almost shocking the prince as they washed through his mind. Kakarrot didn't feel betrayed _by_ Vegeta... But _for_ him. The root of his upset was the act Vegeta must suffer through to save his people, not that Vegeta needed to sleep with a woman in general. It was the fact that Vegeta detested the thought of being with any but Kakarrot that made Kakarrot upset that he must do it.

The selflessness of such a mindset was astounding.

"Kakarrot, my love," He breathed across the younger man's ear. "It will only be the one night. I am yours. Always have been, and always will be. I will be gone for that night, that is all. Then I am back with you. With my love." Another silent tear. "Forever yours, forever mine. Nothing will ever separate us, love."

The shaggy head nodded silently, falling back to where it rested atop the prince's spandex-covered collarbone. "Alright, Vegeta." He rolled his neck to the side, allowing their eyes to meet once more. "We have little choice." Another fresh wave of sadness welled. "I-I'm so sorry..."

"_Shhhh_," The prince quieted. "It's okay. We will make it through this."

After a very long time, Kakarrot again nodded assent. "Vegeta..." He hesitated, reaching a hand up to cup one of the ones enclosing his torso. "Will... Will you lake love with me tonight?"

Though he knew his lover was still healing, there was no way he could deny such a request. It was the very least he could do. "Of course."

Sighing in relief, the younger Saiyan finally was able to stop his shaking. "Thank you, Vegeta."

The prince sighed, nuzzling against the soft, sweet skin at his lover's muscled neck. "Never forget how much I love you."

Shaking his head, Kakarrot turned to meet his lips in a slow, soft kiss. "I never could."


	27. Chapter 27

Author's Notes:

Due to the horrible nature of my goddamn internet provider, this chapter it up late. Again, my apologies. They decided to run a test in my area right as I attempted to email the document to myself last night.

I hope it was worth the wait!

**Chapter Twenty-Seven:**

Rays of sun stretching over the horizon announced dawn of the fourth day. True to his word, Vegeta has stayed with him as he had promised, seeing Kakarrot back to full health. Now began the difficult part.

They hadn't mentioned the king's threat since the first night, though their unspoken understanding knew quite clearly that today would be the day. Kakarrot rolled over to face his lover, drinking in the sight of his rising and falling chest beneath the white sheets. His lips were slightly parted as he purred a deep, relaxing cadence, face slackened with sleep. The hard lines of his princely scowl were almost unnoticeable in this room, one of the few places Vegeta ever let his royal mask of indifference and disapproval fall. Dark brown eyebrows swept a gentle line across his forehead, making him seem years younger without the wrinkle of anger between them.

Kakarrot slid closer, edging their warm bodies together under the white silk. He was careful not to rouse the prince, allowing him to dream in the early dawn air. He didn't want Vegeta awake yet. He deserved to have some peace before what he would have to do this day.

The younger Saiyan attempted to forcibly shove that thought from his mind, savoring the warmth radiating from the love of his life. _I love you so much, Vegeta_. He thought intently, swallowing down his pang of upset. _It's wrong, what they're forcing you to do. You don't deserve this... No one deserves this._ He buried his face in his lover's muscled neck, brow drawn together as he fought not to cry. _You shouldn't need to be raped to save your people._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

_You don't deserve this... No one deserves this..._

_You shouldn't need to be raped to save your people..._

Awareness penetrated his mind at a slow pace. Had he been actively thinking about it, Vegeta would have supposed it was likely due to the fact that he very much didn'twant to wake this day. Dark brown eyelashes fluttered, feathering open to see the barest hints of sunrise, a pink and orange haze bleeding into the mostly black sky. The fourth day had risen.

He became steadily more aware of his body, senses returning as the fogginess cleared. He inhaled deeply, savoring his lover's sweet scent, letting it fill him with strength. Blinking dark eyes, Vegeta angled his head to get a better glimpse of him, finding Kakarrot's forehead pressed against the side of his neck. Humid breath fanned across his throat, the teenager seeming not to have noticed that he was awake yet.

"Good morning, my love." He whispered, voice several notes lower due to just having woken.

Kakarrot started, pulling his face back from the prince's neck to stare at his eyes. "Did I wake you?" He asked with concern.

Vegeta smiled at the flustered blush coloring his cheeks. "I'm not the only one with loud thoughts when I'm upset." He informed, shifting more onto his side to better face the younger man.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered back, gaze falling away.

The prince's hand brushed against his cheek, grasping just enough to turn their faces back towards each other. "Kakarrot, I don't want to spend my morning sleeping. I want to spend it with you."

The teenager's intense, brown eyes closed for a brief second, a long exhale from his nose ghosting humid air over the older man's wrist. He nodded, gulping. "When will you have to leave?"

"Not for a few hours yet, my love..." He leaned in closely, touching their foreheads and noses together. "Let's make them count."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Raditz yawned hugely, putting a hand over his mouth in an attempt to stifle the noise, lest he wake his dozing mate. Chiva breathed deeply, eyes lightly shut as she lay atop his long, black hair. _How the hell am I supposed to leave with her like that?_ He mentally groaned, attempting a careful, tentative pull to extricate his locks from Chiva's deadweight. Though she was tiny, the female Saiyan was all muscle. All limp, slack, snoring muscle. As soon as that thought flitted into his head, though, Raditz noticed the sudden lack of noise.

"Sneaking' away without sayin' goodbye?" She purred, rolling deliberately to capture more of her mate's hair.

"How long've you been awake?" Growled exasperatedly.

"About as long as you have, love." Chiva smirked, comfortably clasping her hands behind her head.

"And so you decided to lie there like a log so I couldn't leave before sunrise." He glared half-heartedly at her, arms crossed.

"And so you planned to leave before sunrise without kissing me goodbye?"

"I always kiss you goodbye." He replied, feigning an affronted air.

She rolled her eyes, laughing breathily. "While I'm _conscious_."

Raditz huffed. "Are you saying you will stop holding my hair hostage if I kiss you, then?"

She grinned cheekily, winking at her mate. "Well, as we're both awake now... Maybe I need more than just a kiss before you go."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot captured his lips lightly in a sweet, slow, unhurried kiss. His movements mirrored a smooth, languid grace, acting as though he had all the time in the world. Vegeta gave to it willingly, almost desperately, opening his mouth for the younger man's slick, talented tongue.

He moaned appreciation, pushing back at the same pace. Arms came around to caress at the sides of his face, fingers threading carefully into the teenager's dark, silky hair. They rolled at the same instant, landing Vegeta astride the teenager's slowly rocking hips. He began to rock in return, faster, with more urgency, but Kakarrot's fingers kneading the muscle of his thighs stopped him. The taller man sat up, one hand behind himself to stay upright, the other coming around to cup the older man's blushing cheek.

Lips right beside his lover's ear, Kakarrot whispered huskily, making the older man shiver. "Slow down, my love; we have all morning. I want today to be unforgettable- for the_ right _reasons."

Vegeta swallowed, bringing both hands up to the teenager's cheeks, pulling him into a smoother, slower, less desperate kiss. "I can't help it, Kakarrot." He breathed, gaze falling away. "I... I feel like something is going to change today... I don't know how or what... But it will."

Kakarrot's brow knit together, head cocking as he looked over the prince's suddenly reserved expression. "What do you mean?"

The royal's eyes closed slowly, dark brown lashes pressing against the tops of his cheeks as he grimaced. "I don't... I don't want to ruin the mood." He mumbled.

"Your peace of mind matters to me far more than the 'mood', Vegeta."

The prince breathed a short growl of exasperation. "_Feh_."

"Vegeta-"

His eyes snapped open again, glaring at the teenager's concerned face. "I'm afraid, okay?" He grumbled moodily, still straddling the younger man's muscular body.

"Of what?" He soothed, stroking the prince's slightly ruffled tail.

"_Of hurting you_." The whisper was so low, had he not been listening for it, Kakarrot would have missed the statement entirely.

"Vegeta, I told you-"

"And how will you know?" He interrupted. "What I have to do today affects you just as much as it affects me."

Kakarrot turned the older man's face back to his. He didn't speak until their eyes were connected, deep brown and ebony staring intently into each other's depths. "Vegeta, my prince, what you must do to save your people is at a terrible price. I despise your father for forcing you into such a corner, but with Lord Frieza arriving in but a few days, what choice have we?" He sighed deeply, sitting up enough to wrap both arms around his lover and pull him down into an understanding embrace. "I do not fault you, my love. This isn't your fault, your decision. How could there have been a choice? You are not the kind of man to let your people die when you have the chance to save them. You are far more noble than that." Arms closing around his back told him Vegeta's appreciation of Kakarrot's heartfelt words. "I stand by what I said. You are a noble man in more ways than one."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Vegeta held back tears, feeling suddenly like he was the younger one here. Kakarrot, a teenager, had just not only given him outright permission, but commended him for what he must do. Still, no matter what the teenager said, they were too closely bonded for today to be without pain. He had said as much, but Kakarrot never went back on his word. Neither did Vegeta.

"I love you." He whispered hoarsely, the slight constricting of his throat making it sound as though he was choking on the statements. "By the gods, I love you so much, Kakarrot."

Hot breath caressed the side of his neck as he lay atop his young lover. "Vegeta," Kakarrot exhaled deeply. "I love you more than life itself."

His heart swelled, eyes squeezing shut as his embrace tightened, the completeness of their love almost tangible. _You mean everything to me. _His mind whispered, landing a kiss upon the collared, corded neck. _You are mine, Kakarrot... __**I am yours**__._

"Kakarrot..." The prince shifted a little. The movement brought their faces closer on par, changing their grip, but not enough to dislodge the taller man's arms around his back. "Can you...?"

"Can I what, Vegeta?" He soothed, fingers running along the smaller man's spine.

"Can... You make love to me?"

A smile lit the young features. "I thought we already planned to do that." He chuckled, hands around the prince's back beginning to smoothly caress and massage his tense muscles.

Vegeta shook his head slowly, bringing his lips to right beside his lover's ear. "No, Kakarrot. I want _you_ to make love to _me_."

The teenager's confused brow suddenly went slack as his understanding hit. "V-Vegeta..."

"Please, Kakarrot." He begged. "This should be unforgettable. I want to feel what you feel, experience what you experience. I know you love me, please... Just this once..."

The larger Saiyan's face turned away a little, eyes shut as he thought this over. "It... It's not my place to top you, nor is it your place to be beneath me..."

Vegeta looked at him sternly. "Kakarrot, when we make love, have I ever expressed that? That I would think you lower than I just because you are the one to _receive_ my love?"

He blushed. "N-no, Vegeta, that's not what I meant!"

"Receiving, Kakarrot, is being loved. I know you love me... Could you please show me what it's like... To be _loved_ like that?"

"You don't have to, Vegeta..."

"But I _want_ to."

Brow drawn together, Kakarrot didn't answer for a long moment. "_Why_?" He finally questioned, a slight sadness in his dark brown eyes.

"_Because_," He whispered. "I want to feel your love, Kakarrot. I want to take it with me, for it to give me strength. You always say you belong with me, to me. I want to belong to you too."

"I..."

"_Please_..."

Their gazes finally connected again, Vegeta's determined, pleading eyes begging the deep chocolate of his lover's. He opened and closed his mouth several times, a blush spreading across his cheeks. Finally, he answered. "All... Alright, my love. For you."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The air was thick with dust and humidity, charred remains strewn about laying testament to the power the soldiers had just rent. It was business as usual, the wreckage unimportant, beneath his notice. He was just here for a minor stop before hoping back to Vegetasei, only a few days remaining until his celebrated arrival.

_Damn monkeys are getting far too difficult to control... _Lord Frieza mused, lazily stroking the end of his long, pink, ribbed tail. _I'd kill that nuisance Vejiita if I could. His son is getting too free-willed to be useful... I wouldn't be surprised if he killed the brat himself. _

The dull, metallic shine of his personal hovering craft reflected the bright rays of destruction around him. Loud explosions and terrified screams fell upon deaf ears as Frieza continued to survey the wreckage of the planet. It was small, but lavash, with many deposits of useful minerals and materials. It would fetch a hefty price, making such a tiny catch worthwhile, even for its rather powerful inhabitants.

The youngest ruler of the Planet Trade Organization was thinking about other things at the moment, though. Such trivial matters as a woman's horrified cry not even worth his notice as he considered the state of Vegetasei.

_Then again, as soon as Prince Vegeta gives in, providing the king an heir, what more use do I have for him? _The Icejin's red eyes narrowed. _Once Vejiita has a successor, Prince Vegeta is no longer a useful tool. The bastard might even __**thank**__ me for killing him at that point... No, I can't let that happen. My hold on Vegetasei will slip, ruin everything! I can't hold anything over Vejiita any longer, my old threat is invalid._

After a long moment, a dark smile worked its way onto his face, the cruel satisfaction of a solution finally coming to fruition. _Vegetasei, it seems, will need a new king._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The delicious scent of need was difficult to ignore, Vegeta's sleek form twisting beneath him in the early morning air. _I've never topped before..._ Kakarrot thought, blushing like a virgin. _But... He wants it. Who am I to deny him over something so petty?_ The younger man allowed his hands to travel down coves of honed muscle, delighting in the feel beneath his fingertips. _I can show him I love him this way as much as any other._

Lips met Vegeta's neck, a tongue running over the soft, sensitive skin of his throat, nipping gently. He continued to stroke and caress the side of the royal's face, groaning when Vegeta captured his thumb in the hot, wet cavern of his mouth. Kakarrot began to grind his hips in time with his lover's making them moan as their arousals touched.

"_Mmn, Kakarrot_." Vegeta growled lovingly, releasing the digit from his mouth. He affectionately pressed his face to the palm against his cheek, breathing against the loosely spread fingers.

The teenager took his time traveling down his lover's body, worrying his taut nipples with teeth and tongue until the prince shivered beneath him, purring and writhing under the experienced, dutiful mouth.

"Feel good, my love?" He asked, a confident, sensual smile tracing his lips for a brief second before he dove back at his task.

Vegeta's hands above his head clawed until they found a pillow on which to vent their building passion. "Hnnn, Kakarrot..." It seemed to be the only thing his prince could articulate.

Switching to the other nipple, the teen's mischievous smile widened. "Yes?" He chuckled, lapping at the painfully erect nub.

Breathing harsh and erratic, Vegeta was unable to answer. The way the older man was grinding his hips sent a shock of awareness to Kakarrot's groin. Finally, he got the message, callused hands wandering the prince's warm, exposed flesh.

He moved his body to the side, leaving the royal's sleek, chiseled muscle to be admired, completely bare to the room. The larger Saiyan eyed the prince's needing member, running a finger down the hot shaft while he lay his cheek against washboard abs. The length twitched, a hiss of thanks sounding from where his lover's head lay.

He fondled the older man's twin orbs, massaging them gently as he rose his face to hover directly above the leaking tip of his erection. He kissed the head ever so lightly, stroking the vein on the underside again with only one, teasing finger. Vegeta let out short, pleading, light sound. Purring, he savored the slightly bitter essence on his lips, licking them wetly before finally enveloping the end of his lover's swollen arousal in them.

"_Kakarrot_!" Vegeta cried out in relief, instinctively arching into the warmth. A hand against his hip kept the wanton prince from choking him while he shifted into a more pleasurable position, now able to take more into his mouth.

The hand not currently occupied with massaging his lover's balls searched blindly for the vial of oil. He grunted in triumph when his fingers encountered it, scooping the small bottle into his palm. Vibrating lips closed tightly around the shaft, head bobbing shallowly as he worked the stopper off the vial with his tail, a few drops of massage oil staining the sheets before he had enough on his fingers to be satisfied with.

He pushed gently against Vegeta's thighs, gesturing that he spread them. He complied easily, purring and gasping as the teenager swallowed yet more of his bursting length. Quickly fitting the cork back into place, Kakarrot brought a finger up to the prince's entrance, circling it slowly around to announce its presence.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

These station was odd, Kakarrot's slowly teasing, oiled finger adding just enough pressure to push lightly past the ring of muscle. He inhaled deeply, trying to keep his muscles lax. The finger withdrew, carefully pressing back in again, a steady, smooth, achingly slow rhythm.

He pressed in deeper, pulling a confused groan from Vegeta's throat. It was such a conflicting sensation, but also welcome. Kakarrot was obviously terrified of hurting him, but he urged he younger man on with purrs and pants, taking in the new, slick, different sensation. After what felt an eternity, he finally picked up speed, pressing in at a more tolerable pace. The way his lover was sucking banished any thoughts of discomfort as a second finger was added, stretching the muscle, drawing out a loud, needy cry.

"M-_more_!" He begged, rolling his hips.

Flicking his gaze up to meet the prince's wanton expression, Kakarrot obeyed the plea, spreading his fingers inside the royal's burning heat.

"_Yes_!" He cried, reveling in the dull ache of being stretched, what it would mean, how it would feel to give such pleasure to his young lover.

A third finger managed its way in, working with the other two until he was almost cursing, the thrusts better timed, the sucking of the younger man's mouth so intense he couldn't see straight.

"_**Kakarrot**_!"

The scream stopped the younger man in his tracks, causing him to remove his mouth from Vegeta's swollen length to see his face.

"Vegeta-" He began with concern. "am I hurting you?"

The prince shook his head emphatically, a low whine building in the undertone of his purr. "Pease, Kakarrot." He panted, hands fisted in the sheets as his eyes squeezed shut. "_Make love to me_."

"I... I don't want to hurt you-"

He spread his legs wider, whimpering. "I won't break, Kakarrot. We're _Saiyans_, for the gods sakes. _Please_."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Swallowing thickly, Kakarrot retrieved the vial, uncorking it with a thumb before coating his erection quickly and thoroughly. There was quite a big difference between fingers and the real thing. He didn't want Vegeta's first time like this to hold any more pain than it had to.

He grasped one of the prince's bent knees, placing the leg over his shoulder to give a better angle, allowing for a more comfortable penetration. The younger man lined himself up, leaning forward enough to bring his face on par with his prince's. Pressing their lips together, he began to tease Vegeta's oiled entrance with his thick tip, groaning at the heat ready to envelop him. Another loud, drawn-out, whimpering moan from the royal's throat announced his readiness better than words. Ready to withdraw at any sign of pain, he swallowed thickly, opening his mouth against Vegeta's to entwine their tongues.

Finally, unable to deny him any longer, Kakarrot slid home.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The ache of being stretched by his lover's thick, hot, oiled length was indescribable. His right leg thrown over Kakarrot's shoulder pressed back against him, his flexibility adding another intense sensation to the fray of his senses.

The teenager's brow was drawn together, mouth open widely, huffing as inch-by-inch, he slid into Prince Vegeta's lithe body.

"You're... So... Tight." He panted against the other Saiyan's lips.

_Nothing_ could have prepared him for this. It was intense, nerves on fire, hunger mounting. The intoxicating scent of his lover's satisfaction drove him on, giving in to the heat and passion, even with the younger man's almost too-careful approach.

"F-_faster_." He moaned, craning his neck to secure their mouthes together in a fierce kiss. "H-_harder, Kakarrot. Gods, please, __**harder**_."

The teenager obeyed, drawing out to sink in again, faster, deeper, _perfect_.

"_**Gods**_!" Vegeta screamed, eyes going wide. This new, violent, powerful jolt of awareness was more than just being stretched, but pure ecstasy.

Seemingly unable to hold back, Kakarrot thrust again, once more hitting that mind-blowing bundle of nerves deep inside the prince's body. Their pace picked up, heart rates quickening as Vegeta howled to the heavens and Kakarrot growled and purred tight pleasure. Wide, onyx, unseeing eyes fixed hazily upon the canopy above the bed, clawing his lover's strong, muscled back as he was pounded into. As if such a feeling wasn't enough, the prince was almost sobbing when he felt the long coil of tail wrap around his nearly forgotten erection, squeezing the steel-encased velvet until his eyes watered.

The younger man left his lips, instead grasping his shoulders to lick and nip along the older man's collarbone. The passion was tangible, love and belonging clearly evident. They were _equals_, two men, two loves, two halves to the same whole.

Vegeta grit his teeth pressing his forehead to the side of the younger man's neck, right beside his own flexible leg. Tears streamed from the corners of their eyes, not of pain or sadness, but of perfection personified, sensation at its finest, completion, connection, _**love**_.

It felt _right_.

The prince panted, whimpered, and growled, pressing his grit teeth to the teenager's shoulder. Kakarrot did the same, hips thrusting, tail pumping, pleasure mounting. Vegeta could feel it, they were almost there. Reveling in the slick, intense, gods-sent connection. The crescendo built, blood pounding in his ears, heart fluttering as his lover continually pounded his sweet spot; there was no going back.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The crash of orgasm slammed into them simultaneously, muscles constricting as they both screamed, instinctively clamping their teeth down on each other's flesh, sinking to the bone.

The effect was immediate.

He emptied himself into Vegeta's tight sheath, panting raggedly through his nose as he felt the older man spill across their stomachs, scream vibrating through his blood. _Their blood_. Metallic, wet, ambrosial liquid bathed his tongue, instinctually lapping at the wound on his lover's neck as he felt Vegeta do the same.

Something _clicked_, solidified, altered, shifted, merged, completed all at once. He was still encased within the prince's body, mind filling with a presence so strong there was no doubt of what it could be.

_**Vegeta**_.

His love, his life, his everything. It surrounded him, crashing in total, complete, and utter certainty. _**Vegeta**_ was all. The scent of his hair, the deep black of his eyes, the feel of his sweat-slicked skin, the way his purr rumbled in cadence, the way his heart beat with a solid, steady, loud thump. All the minute details, all the pieces fitting into place.

Vegeta's past was his past, childhood, growing up, being the strongest, the prim, proper, powerful prince. It filled him like it was _he_ that had been through it all. The fights with his father, being forced to bed women he didn't love, the ruling of Vegetasei, his home, his namesake. Fleeing the palace more than half a year previous, discovering a defenseless, broken, unconscious boy in a snow strewn alleyway, taking him in, getting him help, and slowly, irrevocably falling in love with him. _He was Vegeta's. _Not just a part of him, but _all _of him.

He _belonged_,he _was_. Perfection, protection, love.

_**They were one**_.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The shock of pain to his shoulder and neck were lost in the climax, body and mind rent apart under the strain of such a violent, perfect, all-consuming crash. He felt Kakarrot's hot essence flooding him, giving to it at the same instant as he spilled between their shuddering bodies.

He felt a connection, a need, an unexplainable sense of belonging. They were one, two bodies, two minds, but one, solid, fusing soul. The powerful love he felt for Kakarrot was redoubled, unstoppable, pristine, redefined.

He wasn't just Vegeta anymore. He _was_ Kakarrot. The young man forced to grow up a slave, passed from room to room, being used, ridiculed, hurt. It was a painful past, shadowed over with misery and self-loathing. But still, he had made it through, growing for it, regretting noting. He was powerful, strong in his own way, fighting against all odds. He had been there, sitting as the tank cleared, being protected by the royal stranger, held by comforting arms. Being a sparring partner, a friend, and finally a lover. Taught that sex wasn't wrong, how to love, what _true_ pleasure was. All the information was Kakarrot, wholly and completely, but also himself.

_**They were one**_**.**

For an instant, an intense, gods-sent millisecond, he felt _power_. It surged him, charged, electrified, mingled with himself, _themselves_. His body almost rebelled against the sheer _mass_ of electrifying ki, surging and snapping through the solidifying connection of their bonds.

Then, suddenly, it was gone. Just like the energy he had tried to feed the younger man all those months ago, as soon as it became known, it was just _gone_. Not only this new, incredible, undiscovered power, but his own as well. All the ki they had shared for not even in instant, all the life-force and power he had once possessed, was no more.

He felt it tear from him, leaving him bereft but for the overwhelming presence of his lover. Kakarrot was all that was left of him now. In him, with him, of him.

The energy change worried him, but he was too caught up in the all-consuming wave of Kakarrot's presence. That small portion of his mind that connected them was rent apart, split open so widely that there could be no question. Their minds _merged_, their souls entwining as one, their love inextricably linked to each other.

It had lasted for but one, fluttering heartbeat. Their systems in sync, blood pumping and life pounding together like a single entity.

_**They were mates**_.


	28. Chapter 28

Author's Notes:

Dearest and most lovely readers, may I assure you on these two counts: _Collared is **not** abandoned and I am **not** dead!_

Thank you all for sticking out the previous month. December is a very busy time for me, and atop the writer's block I've been experiencing, I've had little room to breathe, let alone write. But, write I did! Here is Chapter Twenty-Eight, a month off schedule. I hope it was worth it.

Also, as Sunday has become such a busy day for me, regular/consistent updates will be rescheduled for Tuesday nights. I will be doing my very best to update consistently again, ringing in the New Year on a bang!

Happy 2013, everyone!

-Shikatoki

**Chapter Twenty-Eight:**

The sun had long since completely risen, no longer craning its neck over the horizon. Each man lay on his side, facing each other. Vegeta studied his lover's- no, his _mate's _features with wide eyes, taking them in like he had never seen him before. The wound on his shoulder was a comfortable ache, feeling it throb dully in the aftermath of that all-consuming instant. He could feel their aligned heartbeat, watch it thrumming in the vein on the side of his mate's neck, see it pump sluggishly from the twin bite mark on his shoulder.

"_Vegeta_," Kakarrot whispered, eyes wide. He brought a hand up to the mark, drawing away slightly blood slicked fingers. "we..."

"We are mates." He confirmed, breathing a long sigh.

Such a connection was breathtaking. _I didn't even know two males __**could**__ become mates..._ He thought, reaching forward to caress Kakarrot's soft cheek.

"It's... It's like I can _feel_ you... But it's deeper, a whole new level." The teenager whispered, tears of joy pricking at the corners of his brown eyes. "I _feel_ your thoughts, your movements... It's amazing, my love." Unable to hold back any longer, Kakarrot lunged forward, enveloping his mate in strong arms to sob against the side of his neck. "We were made for each other!"

Vegeta's own tears managed to spill forth at the heartbreaking joy his mate expressed. It was beautiful, flooding him with the same feelings, taking over their senses with astounding, mutual love, companionship, and happiness. He wrapped arms around the younger man in return, rubbing across the sculpted muscles, kissing and breathing in his perfect scent. "I know, my love, I know. I feel it too." The force, connection, mingling of souls. "I've never been so happy."

The shaggy head of black hair pulled back, watery, brown eyes searching the depths of their soul, an enormous grin splitting his features. A calloused hand warmly cupped his cheek, wiping lovingly at the tear-tracks down the prince's face. His mate nodded, an understanding more powerful than to be cheapened by words passing between them. Again, their lips met for what felt the very first time. Their heartbeat fluttered, aligned and pure as they kissed. It was neither rough nor sexual, but no less passionate for it. _A kiss between mates_.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

"What will we do now, Vegeta?" Kakarrot finally breathed, the teenager's large, powerful arms wrapped round his mate's smaller form. "How can we keep this a secret?"

The two had lain in the morning sunlight for what felt like hours, mentally and spiritually caressing each other as they lazily dozed. They were putting off the inevitable, they knew, but in the perfection of that sun-drenched, lazy stir, they ignored their responsibilities in favor of being with their mate.

Vegeta sighed. "I don't know." Snuggling into the embrace, he inhaled deeply, voice becoming thoughtful. "Your brother managed."

Burying his nose in the prince's dark brown hair, Kakarrot considered this. "That's true... But Raditz and Chiva are guards, not royal. It won't be so easy."

He nodded, the purr in his chest faltering a little. "We can manage."

"We can." The younger mate agreed, his conviction on the matter set. A slight change in Vegeta's thoughts alerted him. "There's something else bothering you." He felt the pang of something, following it to the source. "You're worried."

The older man shifted, pausing for a long moment. "I am..."

"About what, love?" He cooed, rubbing his rough palm soothingly down a sleekly muscled arm.

The prince sighed heavily. "My ki."

Kakarrot's brow drew together, cocking his head in confusion. "Huh?"

"Something is wrong with my ki... I can't feel it anymore." He whispered, trying to suppress the disquiet in his voice.

"Wh-what?" The teenager jumped, their twin heart rates picking up. "How does something like that happen?"

"I... I don't know. Something happened the second the mating bond took hold." He whispered, voice faraway.

Something in the back of Kakarrot's mind stirred, a tiny fear growing. "Th-the mating bond?"

Vegeta nodded. "It was almost surreal. The power intensified, surged, then just..." He released a troubled sigh. "I can't find it again." The worry in his voice became more evident. "I don't feel any different, really. Other than that I can't hold my ki. Like it _should_ be there, but when I reach in to take it, there's nothing to take."

Suddenly, something clicked. His eyes went wide. "I... I did this to you..."

The older man rolled over in his mate's arms, placing a hand on his cheek. "You did no such thing, Kakarrot." He whispered, conviction in his tone.

_How could I have let this happen? Vegeta is the most powerful Saiyan born in hundreds, __**thousands**__ of years. I've left him defenseless..._

"No... No, Vegeta... I did."

"How? Kakarrot, I don't know _why _it's gone, but there's nothing you could have done about it."

The fear intensified, wide, brown eyes slowly filling with tears. "Vegeta, we both know that ki works differently with me. Both Chiva and Raditz have said when two Saiyans become mates, their ki merges... What if I did something to you?"

"You didn't _do_ anything, Kakarrot." His prince hushed. "Even if the change _is_ due to the mating bond, can't you feel my emotions on the subject? Do I feel angry? Upset? Weak? _No._" He whispered. "I feel loved. I feel you, your heartbeat, _our_ heartbeat. I feel like the gods have given me a precious gift in being your mate. Like you said... We were _made _for each other."

"But you also feel worried, scared to be without your power." He breathed meekly.

Vegeta studied him with stern, ebony eyes. "Kakarrot, what if you lost your tail due to our bond?"

The teenager's watery gaze narrowed in confusion. "Wha-"

"How would you feel? What if a side effect of our mating bond made you lose your tail?"

Dumbfounded, the younger man considered the question. "I... I would feel off-balance for a little while without it. It would feel weird, but I could adjust."

The prince rose an eyebrow at him. "And would you love me any less for its loss? Be angered or upset at me for it being gone, even though I had no foreknowledge that such a thing might happen?"

Kakarrot opened his mouth to reply, brow drawn together. "Of course not! I-" He cut himself off. "Oh..."

"Oh indeed." His mate smirked.

The younger man turned serious again. "Vegeta, losing a tail and losing your ki are two completely different things. Tails can sometimes regrow, especially at my age. I don't use my tail to protect myself either, but you use your energy for that."

"And who is to say that my power won't regenerate? How do we know, my love?" He whispered, staring deeply into his eyes. "_This is not your fault, Kakarrot_. I don't blame you. I don't, _can't _regret becoming your mate. We will work through this, stop beating yourself up about it. It hurts me to see you so upset."

"I-" The teenager sagged, rebuttal lost as the older mate's words sunk in. "I can't help feeling guilty..."

"Could you help it, for me?"

Pleading, onyx eyes drew the answer from him before he could even think. "Anything for you, Vegeta."

Tears again managed their way past the dam of his dark eyelashes, falling downward towards the pillow as he hugged the older man tightly to his chest. He let the understanding aura wash over him, clinging to the prince, awash in the connection of astounding love. "We'll get it back, Vegeta. We'll find a way."

He felt Vegeta nod before lips pressed against his ear. "We will." He breathed. "And remember: no matter what, I will _always_ love you."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

There was no more putting it off.

Kakarrot watched regretfully from the bed as he saw his lover rise, shoulders hunched. He needed support now, comfort, so that he could face his unfair duty; bringing an heir to the royal family.

Everything was already set up. He would meet Lentil in a bedroom clear on the other side of the palace at noon, only one hour away.

Kakarrot stood behind him, wrapping loving arms around his older mate, sending gentle understanding. It was hurting Vegeta to do this, but he truly had no choice. Kakarrot would stand by the prince no matter his decision, choosing to remain silent as his mate just stood there, expression much like a man waiting for the axe to fall.

"I don't want to." He whispered brokenly, voice rough and gravelly.

"I know."

"I have to."

Kakarrot nodded into the prince's spiky hair. "I know."

"It will hurt us. Both of us."

"I know."

He sagged back against the younger man, dark brown eyebrows drawing together. His, _their_ heartbeat felt erratic, aching. "What should I do, Kakarot?" He whispered. There was a clear undertone in his voice that _begged_ to be talked out of this, to be asked not to go. Still, the teenager remained impartial.

"That's not for me to decide, Vegeta." He whispered sadly, pressing lips to the older man's ear.

The prince sighed. "I'd better just get it over with, then. There's no sense in waiting."

"Alright, my love." He breathed kindly, kissing his temple and reaching forward to open the carved armoire, extracting a blue, spandex suit. "I'll help you get ready."

~•~ POV Change ~•~

The heavy drapes blocked out almost all hint of the noonday sun, giving the room a dim glow. It was a personal chamber, very small, and rather unremarkable for all intents and purposes. There were hundreds like it in the Royal Palace, more extravagant than the quarters for staff, guards, or slaves, but much less so than his own wing. He wouldn't defile his room, his and Kakarrot's sanctuary, by sleeping with anyone else there. Their room was sacred, where his facade of cool anger and cruelty could be dropped in favor of wrapping his arms around the loving, kind, young man always waiting for him. Another pang of sadness pressed against his heart, chest constricting as he imagined how much he wished not to be where he was. He wanted, desperately, painfully, to wrap his arms around his mate, to lose himself in the thick, silky locks of hair that stuck out at gorgeous, odd angles. He wanted to be anywhere... Anywhere but here.

Vegeta mentally shook the thoughts away, bringing himself back to present. No matter how much he wished it, he was here for a reason. They were only delaying the inevitable. The sooner he finished with this, the sooner he could be with Kakarrot. That thought in his mind, the prince took a long stride into the room, scanning the dimly lit chamber with what could only be described as distaste. The woman sat on the edge of a large bed, painted lips quirked up at the corners in a slight smile. Long curls of dark hair fell about her slender shoulders, hands gripping the red, silk sash around her white robe. The sight reminded him painfully of Kakarrot's clothing, the slight tilt of her head adding violently to the image.

"Good afternoon, Prince Vegeta." Lentil smirked, running a hand through her hair. She studied him with half-lidded eyes, her tail flicking against the rich duvet, the scent of heat hanging so heavily in the air, he nearly choked on it. "How may I help you?"

"You know why I'm here." He grumbled, arms crossed over his powerful, armored chest.

She rose fluidly, stalking over to where he stood with a languid, almost feline grace. The woman stopped but an inch from him, laying a delicate hand on his crossed arm. She smiled sensuously, leaning to whisper in his ear. "Oh, do I, my prince?"

He growled lowly at her, tail flicking in agitation. "Remove your hand." He snarled, glaring daggers at the bold young woman.

She swallowed, withdrawing the arm when she saw the intensity in Prince Vegeta's eyes.

"I'm not here to enjoy myself, Lentil." He breathed, dropping some of his anger.

She slowly circled him, jumping right back to her seductress act. "Oh, but just because you didn't come to enjoy it," She came to a stop behind him, tail snaking around his spandex-covered thigh. "doesn't mean you won't."

She was just about his height, her teeth scraping suggestively across his earlobe. He tensed uncomfortably, not from arousal, but distaste. She was like a fly, pestering him with sensual suggestions. He brushed them off, though he knew he couldn't afford to. He needed Lentil, _needed_ her to do this, but silently hated himself for it. Was that why he was resisting? Justifying it in his mind? Which would be worse, getting it over with or being enticed, seduced? Hands feathered across his waist, following the blue spandex to his pointed hip bones, the clearly defined V of muscle that stretched between his legs.

"I'm good at what I do, my prince." She whispered as he stood rock-solid, not reacting to her advances. "You will have me in the throes of passion, no doubt. I've spoken with the other women who have had the honor of being in your bed."

He glared at her. "Then you will know that I wasn't willing with them either."

She paused in confusion for but a second, deciding to ignore the statement and continue in her efforts to seduce him. "You must be very selective with your women, my prince. I am honored that you would choose me." She breathed heavily against his neck, licking a cord of muscle.

He shifted when she got too close to his mating mark, carefully dressed to look like an ordinary, healing wound. "Keep your mouth to yourself for now, Lentil." He whispered, provoking caution.

She didn't seem to get the message. "I could put my mouth other places."

He scoffed at her, lack of arousal evident under the material of his training suit. Lentil brushed a hand between his legs, making a slightly affronted noise to discover his still flaccid member. He swallowed dryly, attempting to force back yet another wave of nausea. Through their mental connection, he could feel Kakarrot's upset for him, feel the oppressive heartache, the painful pull that made him want to run back into the younger man's arms. His breathing gained an edge, reasons for _why_ this was necessary flying out the window under the sharp intensity of how _wrong_ this was. He attempted to step forward, listening to the rushed, thudding, pressured pound of blood in his ears.

Her pheromones lacing the air made his head spin. Where before such a display from a Saiyan woman in heat would have had him on the bed in seconds, now it only made him feel queasy. Her scent seemed... _Wrong._ Like it was correct, how Saiyan heat smells, but... Unattractive. Where Kakarrot smelled of earth, power, and musk, this woman was overly powerful sprays and perfumes, all intensified sickeningly with the tang of her heat cycle.

Apparently believing his quickened pulse was a sign of her prowess, Lentil rubbed a warm palm over his groin, stroking him beneath the blue, spandex material.

He snarled at her, stepping quickly out of the woman's caress. "Enough." He warned, making it obvious that she had crossed a line. A hand flew to his forehead when the room spun, almost causing the prince to topple over from being so disoriented.

Lentil hardly noticed, so caught up was she in her incredulity of his off-again, on-again nature. "You did come here to sleep with me, didn't you?" She asked, curling her lip and crossing slender arms beneath her large bosom.

Vegeta rolled his eyes, unmoved by her question. "Let's get this over with." He growled, teeth clenched to qualm the discomfort.

She sighed, walking back towards the bed as the prince attempted to rein in his queasiness. _How the hell am I supposed to survive actually having sex with her if I can't even get hard? _He mentally growled, rubbing a hand agitatedly against his forehead. _And I keep shrugging her off, too. I need her, need her talents to save my people... But it feels so __**wrong**__. _He couldn't shake the pain of what felt like betrayal. Just because Kakarrot understood his need to continue the royal line didn't make this act any less adulterous.

The sickness was affecting him, swallowing the thick air, and wanting nothing more than to flee. He attempted to step forward, fighting tooth and nail against his every instinct to leave. It seemed to be the final straw.

Vegeta's body rebelled, sending the prince crashing to his knees, heart beating erratically. Faintly, he heard Lentil cry out in shock, rushing over to him to see what was wrong. The pain saw fit to intensify with each inch she closed, head swimming. His body knew what his mind still couldn't seem to grasp. He _couldn't _do this. His father's order, his threat, they were nothing compared to the blinding, all-consuming love he had for Kakarot. _**"I can't do it, my love. I won't do this to us."**_ Vegeta mentally sent, gasping for breath. _**"Let him punish me, let him do as he pleases. I will defend Vegetasei with everything I have, but I won't do this."**_ He let out a deep, final breath, the knot in his stomach loosening before he finally keeled over, unconscious.

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Lord Frieza surveyed the landing bay with cool intensity. There truly was nothing quite like watching Saiyans quake in their boots, bowing and scraping as he hovered slowly from his enormous ship. He was early, three days early, just as planned. The Icejin gained such satisfaction to throw Vejiita off balance, and by the rushing of messengers like a flock of frightened birds, he was doing just that.

As if his reputation on Vegetasei hadn't been strong enough, since executing three thousand of their peers, Saiyans had been walking on eggshells around him, amusing in the extreme. The crew members of he landing bay swallowed thickly, their pride stopping them from running, but their fear keeping them from calling out. Hated ruler though he was, Frieza was in paradise.

The fluctuation of gravity hardly gave him pause, hovering craft automatically switching to a higher gear to counteract it. A calm smirk spread on his painted lips, helmet-like head bowed slightly as he glared red eyes from beneath thick brow ridges. _Oh, won't today be fun?_ He mused, chuckling in his high, effeminate voice. _A funeral __**and**__ a coronation in one day._

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Kakarrot curled in a ball atop his and Vegeta's bed, tears streaming from his tightly closed, brown eyes. The salty beads rolled down his face and onto the sheets, a silent grieving for his mate's pain. He couldn't mourn his own, but he could pray for Vegeta's, beg the gods that he made it through this and back into his arms. Waves of nausea assaulted him, a clenching in his gut twisting his insides like a thousand, tiny knives.

It hurt, not only physically, but it hurt to know his mate was experiencing the same thing. Even on the other side of the palace, Kakarrot could smell the heavy, overpowering stench of Lentil's heat, sensing it through Vegeta's nose. Queasiness and upset raged intermittently inside him, knowing what the woman was doing, what she was supposed to do. His skin crawled with each stroke across the prince's body, though he knew it was for a good cause. The right cause... Wasn't it?

All of a sudden, something changed.

_**"...Can't do it... Love. Won't do this to us..."**_

But... He _had to_, didn't he? Wasn't this truly the only way to save Vegetasei?

_**"Let him punish me... Will defend Vegetasei with everything I have... But... Won't do... This."**_

Did Vegeta know he could hear him? The pain seemed to lessen, but his head was growing heavy, heartbeat slowing. For a second, his vision flashed to onyx, the dimly lit interior of another room coming in and out of focus. Was this something all mates experienced? He was at a loss, watching through Prince Vegeta's own eyes as he keeled to the floor, breath sobbing from his lungs as the agony lifted, his denial to continue the royal line lightening his heart, clearing his head.

The scene faded, both mates feeling the understanding wash through them. _**"We will find another way to protect Vegetasei, my prince."**_ Kakarrot sent, feeling free inside, love thudding in his pulse, their pulse. _**"By the gods, I love you."**_

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Vejiita was ready to scream, gloved hands clenching with fury as his unfortunate messenger rushed from the room, the heavy scent of panic following in his wake. _He wasn't supposed to arrive for three more fucking days!_ He mentally bellowed, fist slamming as if of its own accord towards a crystal vase. The loud, musical shatter did nothing to lighten the king's mood, only succeeding in leaving a small cut in the side of both glove and hand, crimson spilling slowly from it to collect in the supple weave of white fabric. _We aren't ready, Vegeta hasn't given in yet!_

~•~ POV Change ~•~

Frieza's thick brow was drawn together, mirth leaving his face as the throne room drew ever nearer down the elegant hall. _Should have gotten rid of the damn monkeys years ago, starting with this one. _He mused, hammering black fingernails against the side of his heavy craft.

Zarbon raised a thin, sculpted eyebrow at the light _tink_ the Icejin's nails caused, but made no protest to the annoying sound. The sudden change in demeanor, his sobering of the situation, alerted the cyan-skinned prince that now, if ever, would be the worst time to antagonize the tyrannical lizard.

Frieza's painted lips seemed to grow ever deeper at the corners, brow drawing down in the center as his scowl intensified. Large, elegant, painted doors stood closed, several nameless Saiyan guards barring its contents. He didn't even pause, a tiny spark of red ki on the tip of one finger piercing the heart of each guard. The almost silent screams wet unnoticed, each alien watching distastefully as they sunk to their knees, leaning on lances, slumping against the walls, or some other slow death as their blood made its last, sluggish pumps. _Useless._ Frieza mentally growled, only stopping now that he was before the throne room's impressive doors. _Just like their king._

~•~

Author's Notes again:

As a slight apology for not updating last month, I will also be posting two of my oneshots tonight that I have saved in my archives. If you follow me on Tumblr, you may have read them before. I hope you like 'em, more info in the actual oneshots themselves!

Thank you all, you lovely, wonderful, incredible, understanding people!

-Shikatoki


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